Candice Bakx-Friesen is a woman with a lot of wise words to share. She is a successful real estate agent and financial counsellor who lives and works in the province of Manitoba, Canada. In a recent Facebook post she encouraged people to be optimists, not pessimists and I had to pause as I read her post.
There is a lot of truth to what she says. I just want to add a little. It is also important that we are realists.
Yes, we have to regulate how much time we spend dwelling on negative content. Yes, we have to have the outlook that things can and will get better. However, at the same time we also have to be realistic about where things are at and willing to face the difficult truths head on.
For those who are Christians, it is essential that we are engaged in what is called "Spiritual Warfare." Spiritual warfare typically involves prayer. As such it is also a matter of aligning ourselves with the plans and purposes of God as revealed in his Word, the Bible.
Spiritual warfare can also include informing others so that they, too, can pray and take appropriate action. A specific prayer can be for the truth to come to light. When it does, more than optimism may be required of us. We may have to take action on behalf of justice.
Right now our country, Canada, is at a precipice with the level of Chinese interference in our government. Sam Cooper, an investigative journalist, has created a stunning write-up on what has been transpiring in our country in what he refers to as Bejing’s “high-tech long game,” with Xi Jinping’s regime “planting a flag in the West” in a method comparable to the ancient game GO where “the winner occupies territory to dominate the loser.” Quotes and details are found in Cooper’s book, Willful Blindness: How a Criminal network of narcos, tycoons and Chinese Communist Party agents infiltrated the West. It is available on Amazon.
In the November 2018 Global News article, Fentanyl: Making a Killing, Cooper reported, “The crime network, according to police intelligence sources, is a fluid coalition of hundreds of wealthy criminals in Metro Vancouver, including gangsters, industrialists, financial fugitives and corrupt officials from China. The common link among this is an underground banking scheme in which Chinese VIP gamblers and gangster associates transfer money between China and Richmond, B.C., in order to fund fentanyl imports to traffic in Canada.”
Sadly, Cooper admits that Canada is not the pristine country he imagined. The RCMP and CSIS are having trouble countering China’s “sophisticated financial activities” so the FBI and DEA have increased their presence in the province. Unfortunately the transactions are mutually beneficial for many parties and we not only see B.C. Lottery casino money launderers involved, but lawyers, realtors, mortgage brokers, immigration fraudsters and corrupt politicians willing to take a cut, according to Cooper’s investigation.
I often feel the temptation to block out the negative and I admit we definitely have to take breaks. However when we hear bad news it is an opportunity to pray for things to turn around.
When you pray, ask God what your part is at a time like this. You may also want to pray for strength and wisdom in the face of trials. As we look at our government leaders there clearly appears to be a dearth of wisdom. This is the reason we are currently in the predicament in which we find ourselves.
This week the U.S. president is visiting Canada. Trudeau is in dire need of a distraction as the opposition parties have been cornering him about his turning a blind eye to Chinese interference in the past two Canadian elections. Meanwhile President Biden and his son Hunter have not been completely up front about Chinese involvement in their business ventures including some shady business in the Ukraine before Russia invaded.
Pray for wise and godly leaders to step up and take a role in our countries. On an optimistic note, I actually see a lot of this happening.
Good word Tina.
There was a great example of this, last week. A report of an arrest in the UK of a woman who stood across from an abortion clinic, silently praying. The gov was in such a panic over this, they created a new edict, banning silent prayers outside the clinics.
We can look at this two ways, one how awful is that, this poor woman was arrested for simply praying?. Or how amazing is that, one woman praying, has the devil in all out panic? It’s time to not only silently pray but actively join together in agreement across our nation. There’s power in the the name of Jesus! The Father awaits the cries of His children.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem , pray for our rulers, churches, families, schools. Pray for wisdom, truth and righteousness. Let the deeds of darkness be exposed and a spirit of repentance sweep our nation.
Lord, lead us on in the fight, may this world be drawn to your light! Let your name, be greatly praised, in Jesus name.