Trouble

What Do You Do When the World Is a Mess?

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The year is not over, but it is obvious that this has been a troubled year thus far.  We have watched inflation rates rise steadily along with the price of everything else.  We have witnessed war in Ukraine.  We have seen mobs in action.  We have been shocked as hatred spilled over in the Middle East.  And many of us have faced turmoil in our individual lives.

How can we face these things?  What can we do?

For those who have chosen to follow Jesus, we know that He told us in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”  We know that is what He said, yet I see troubled and fearful hearts all around.

The reason that our world is a mess is because the world is a mess.  None of us are pure and sinless.  Sin is found in all of us, and that sin can lead to bigger and bigger tragedies.  Our own sinfulness has gotten us to this point.

As I have discovered, the only source of true hope and peace is found in Jesus.  Without Him, we are without hope and peace.  With Him, we can face the mess of our world.  We can experience the promise found in Psalm 34:4: “I sought the LORD, and He answered me and rescued me from all my fears.”

God does not cause evil.  We do that.  However, He is here, and He desires to help us face life’s messes.  He does not promise to take the messes away, but He promises to help us and work good out of evil for those who accept His salvation.

And that leads to what we should do – here – now.  Though none of us have a voice at the negotiating table, we can make an impact.  We can pray for our leaders to have wisdom and to do what is right (not necessarily what politics suggest).  We can pray for those in struggles to find safety, hope, and peace.  We can financially support those reputable organizations that are “on the ground.”  We can begin to change things on a global level by changing things on a local level by sharing the hope and peace of Jesus.

Yes, the world is a mess.  But we can do something about it.

Consider the following resource for more insight. Just click the picture to learn more…

What Is Strength?

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I can say whatever I want, regardless of whom it hurts.  I can force my way on others.  I can use brute force when it feels right.  I do not listen to anyone.

Is that it?  Or is that a façade of strength when it is actually foolishness?

I do not believe that anyone wants to lack strength, but it often is elusive.

Billions of people live under cruel and oppressive governments – they have no control.  Millions of people live as refugees because their former lives were unbearable – they have no control.  Millions of people took the wrong path and became addicts – they now have no control.  Countless people are constantly bullied (and with social media, it is relentless) – they have no control.  People live with the effects of lies and deception by cruel people – they have no control.  Health issues arise – and there seems to be no control.

Where is the strength we need?

Do our circumstances dictate our strength?  Or is there an anchor that can give us the needed strength?

The Apostle Paul discovered that no matter what he faced (and he faced a lot), God is greater.  He stated in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “The Lord said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’  Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.”

That is not an easy concept to grasp.  We do not want to admit weakness.

However, that may be our problem.  We tend to pretend to be who we are not.  Instead, we should be honest about our reality and our needs.

I love how the prophet Isaiah put it in Isaiah 40:29-31: “He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless.  Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.”

God never promised to take away our troubles.  He did promise to help us through them.  And when He does, we find the strength we need.

On top of that, He designed His church to be a place to find support and strength from others who share our journey.

Please do not fake strength.  Please do not seek strength in yourself.  Find true strength in the One who IS strength.

The following resource is a devotional book that anyone can benefit from. Click the picture to discover more…

I Didn’t Expect That!

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What do you do when you did not know what you would face?

I did not know that I would crash my bike. I did not know that my father would have Alzheimer’s. I did not know that Covid was coming. I did not know that the economy would be like a rollercoaster. I have not known a lot of things.

Many people tend to roll with the punches. Many people tend to withdraw and let fear control them. Many people tend to pretend that the unexpected never happened. But what do you do?

Whether we like it or not, we cannot anticipate the unexpected. We can prepare for what we know will happen, but we cannot prepare for something that we did not know was coming. It is like James stated (in James 4:13-14): “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ – yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Living on the coast for several years, I learned that you must prepare if a storm was coming. You must anchor things down. You must ensure you have done all you can to keep safe.

Life in general is like that. We know that “storms” are coming, so we must be prepared as best we can. We cannot pretend that life will have no problems. We cannot stop living because of our fears. We must roll with the punches.

My friends, please remember that even though we do not know what tomorrow will bring, God knows. Psalm 139 reminds us that he knows you, what you do, and your future. He knows.

Because God knows, we must find out what he desires. We must accept his truth. We must trust him. We must remember (as Ephesians 3:20 states) that he is the one “who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.”

Also, remember that he not only knows you, he loves you. As his child (if you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior), you can face whatever tomorrow brings. So – let us face tomorrow with anticipation!

You may want to consider the following resource for added insight – click the picture to find out more…