Just

One of the most peaceful places I've been recently.

adverb: "simply; only; no more than."

I make excuses at every possible opportunity. Why I'm so busy, why I'm so talkative, why I'm not able to go, why I manage to be ridiculously uncool in every scenario. Or, why I don't read the Bible as much as I should, why I complain when I should be thankful.

And yet, I hate accepting others' excuses. Why they're late, why they're too busy, why they didn't reply. Or, why the world is still broken, or why the Church is so divided.

There's so much that I cannot comprehend. And being a Christian - that's difficult. I feel like I constantly have to justify my reasoning; to stand up for myself at every turn. To be proactive at every opportunity. And to have an answer to all of the world's problems.

I'm not successful in those, by the way. But I've been challenged this week to just rest. To simply come. To only relax. No excuses. My favourite Northern Irish worship band have written a song that sums this up quite well: Simplicity.

But equally, I've been challenged by that other meaning of just:

adjective: "based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair." 

I watched the Hunger Games: Catching Fire last night. Without spoiling any plot details, this film made me furious because it focuses on the activities of the Capitol (small, powerful ruling class) and how the Districts (everyone else) are impacted by their rules. Bits of this film made me burst into tears - because of the injustice within the film, but also the parallels with our world, today.

Injustice perpetually challenges my rest. The way that the world is unfair and biased against the poorest individuals. Towards those with power and authority. Often based on nothing but geography.

What do I do? I blame people. I'm angry at society. I'm furious with God. Why doesn't he just change everything and make it more equal? Why doesn't he intervene more?

I don't quite get the answer, yet. But I do understand that it's not just up to God to fix it. We need to get involved.

The Bible teaches that despite injustice, God is just. That's a big thing to get my head around sometimes. Beginning to comprehend that even in this broken world, He is based on what is morally right and fair. 

A big part of Christianity is believing that our world is in the hands of a just God.

In the hands of a morally right and fair God.