Nonbelievers and Christians alike encounter all sorts of challenges or temptations in life that can seem so overwhelming. How to overcome those temptations depends on an individual’s faith in Jesus Christ and the steadfastness involved.
For Letitia Wright, a seasoned actress who appeared in the recent blockbuster hit Black Panther, it was a different scenario altogether; she decided to run away from acting to find God and dedicate her life to her creator.
In fact, her absence from the Hollywood action nearly led to her missing out on the opportunity to act as T’Challa’s younger scientist sister Shuri in the Marvel film. Black Panther is one of Marvel’s biggest hits thusfar, and has gained massive popularity both in the secular and the Christian circles. The uniqueness of this megahit lies in its take on life.
Seeking God First
Just as everybody needs to pray to God to get the strength to face life’s hardships and for guidance in the treacherous path of life, Wright decided to seek God first and the treasures of the world second.
Wright has been in the film industry for several years, and at some point, she felt that she had started idolizing her career and what she had achieved as a celebrity. That was a turning point for her; it was time to review her relationship with God. And, by seeking Godly ways, she became a Christian. She has since stated that going back to acting after finding Jesus was like bouncing back and feeling stronger than she was before.
Wright reckons that the when she took time off to discover her relationship with God, she received a lot of light and love for herself. She felt content with her new image, and felt like she didn’t need any validation from anyone. Within the seven-month break that she was away from all the hustle and bustle of the acting world, she discovered that her real purpose is to use her acting talent to share and spread the Word of God. At that moment, she felt as if her soul was dying because people’s souls were dying; she had a role to play, and that was spread the love of God.
Jesus is the Only One Who is Perfect
Wright emphasized On the British talk show This Morning that her newborn relationship with God has kept her calm in the face of disparagement. She no longer sees the essence of striving to be perfect when she knows that it’s only Jesus who can ever be perfect. In an earlier interview, she had said that whenever God directs her to go is where she will go.
She intends to allow God to use her as a vessel to proclaim His might and transform more souls, especially in the entertainment industry. There are such examples of renowned celebrities such as Will Smith who have declared their dedication towards serving God in public. And, when prominent figures take the lead in praising God, their fans who adore their works of art are likely to become inspired and follow suit.
Wright went on to say that even as a Christian she is not perfect, and she is just as predisposed to Satan’s temptations than nonbelievers; nonetheless, she has to stay connected every day by walking in the ways of Christianity.
“I’m centered in who I am, and I’m really grateful,” said Wright. She claimed that having that positivity has helped her a lot and she is grateful to God for it. When asked about how she expects her life to change once the world sees the film, Wright said she would remain humble and focus on her main aim of remaining as Godly as she can. Her only hope is to get enough time to continue positively contributing to the world.
While appreciating being considered for the critical role of Shuri, which contributed to the success of Black Panther in the box office, Wright believes that her destiny has been and will always be in her creator’s hands.
In fact, at one point, Wright turned down a lucrative role of acting alongside Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman so that she gets ample time to spend with God. The famous actress told Vanity Fair that she yielded to God’s calling of giving up the job and doing what God wanted her to do at the moment. It was when she gave control to God by giving up everything that she landed the biggest opportunity at Marvel’s Black Panther.
~ 1776 Christian
