The journey of faith is not for the faint of heart, especially in relationships. The walk of faith requires community and biblical wisdom in marriage, raising children, and building lasting relationships with your extended family or friends. In this article, I will share my thoughts on “The Forge,” a movie review.
The difficult reality of being a Christian parent
The Forge shows the ups and downs of a single mother trying to bring her young adult son into the world. It also shows the importance of mentoring, friendship, prayer, and discipleship.
After watching this film, you will want more for your life, your faith, your marriage, your church and your community.
The beginning of The Forge touched this mom’s heartstrings. As a mother of three young adults, I could relate to the dialogue. Cynthia Wright is a single mother to 19-year-old Isaiah Wright. In one of the opening scenes, Cynthia is talking to Isaiah and her frustration is palpable. I think we can all relate to that when it comes to dealing with the phase of stepping out into the world as a young adult.
Having faith and parenting young adults is a whole different ball game. I have never prayed so much in my life and I have reached a new level of devotion in my walk with Jesus. The Forge does a great job of portraying the struggle of being a Christian mother of a young adult. There is also a lot of guidance on what to do when you don’t know what to do during this highly complex time of life.
It is obvious that the Christian parenting role for a young adult requires:
- Faith and trust that God has good plans for your child and your family.
- Give up your will and control over the life of your child, who has the same free will as you.
- Lots of prayers and prayer support from those around you.
God has good plans for you and me
God is the perfect father and His plans don’t necessarily have to be ours. In The Forge, Cynthia quickly learns that she doesn’t have to raise her son alone and calls on her prayer partners. Cynthia is surrounded by friends and believers who want the best for her and her son.
It is a blessing to be surrounded by people who pray and believe for the best for your family.
The Forge shows the viewer that to be a good friend, you have to pray for your friends, believe in them, and bless them with words. It’s so easy to get lost in the pain of this world, your own life, and what you don’t have. However, The Forge shows us the value of wanting more out of life.
Growing up is hard when you don’t have anyone to invest in you
In The Forge, we see how to find time for mentoring despite the demands of life. We also see the rewards of investing time in someone else’s life – not just the mentee’s life, but the mentor’s life as well.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. – John 15:16 (ESV)
As a Christian, your most extraordinary mission is to spread the gospel and be fruitful. Every action you take and every word you speak will bear fruit. Understanding the seeds you plant and the fruit they produce is critical to determining your next steps in life.
In The Forge, Isaiah struggles to grow up because he doesn’t have a male role model to look up to. Yet, as the story progresses, we see God working in his life and helping him become the man God created him to be. This is not through one person or one prayer, but through many prayers and many people planting seeds in his life that will bear good fruit.
Overcoming excuses
The Forge is a movie that teaches a lot of lessons in a two hour time frame. One of the most important lessons that stood out to me was to overcome the excuses in your life.
Overcome the excuses:
- It keeps you from serving God with all your heart.
- You are trapped in a place you don’t want to be.
- It prevents you from finding relationships that are good for you.
- Building relationships and authentic community.
- Investing in other people and helping them.
Life is undoubtedly busy and difficult, and there are many obstacles and trials to overcome. But the key is to find the meaning of the journey. In the forge, Isaiah’s journey shows us how he overcomes his excuses. He makes the effort to get rid of everything that keeps him from doing the best that God has planned for him.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. Anyone who watches The Forge will gain new insights and ideas about how to live a fulfilling life and build an authentic community.
The story was relatable, although there were moments that seemed unrealistic. While I believe in the power of mentorship and the need for discipleship, the viewer must keep an open mind as to how that might play out in real life. I liked the idea of everyone in The Forge getting a sword; however, I think we can all lower our expectations and realize that discipleship is possible even in a small group of our church. However, I appreciate the symbolism and the honor the writers of The Forge paid to the beauty of an authentic community of believers.
Like most movies, every scene in The Forge was dramatic and action-packed, making some events inexplicable. However, that doesn’t change the fact that discipleship is important and necessary and will help us all become who God created us to be. It is important to believe in yourself and others. Overall, the story of The Forge has encouraged me, which will determine the next steps in my faith journey.
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