Putting Aside Our Fear and Anxiety

“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’  The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” (Psalm 2:1-4 NIV)

If my Facebook newsfeed is any indication, people are anxious and afraid of what is happening in this country and around the world.  The presidential race has Democrats/liberals terrified of a Trump presidency, while Republicans/conservatives have the same fears of Hillary Clinton in the White House and, for many, angst toward a Trump victory as well. There are also fears surrounding Islamic terrorism, police shootings and police being shot, the inhumanity of the conflict in Syria, and the sense that things are rapidly deteriorating in our world.  

It is so easy to get caught up in the constant drip of bad, even horrifying news.  We can feel scared, powerless, and hopeless.  This is, of course, exactly what our Enemy wants.  He wants to steal our joy, kill our hope, and destroy any sense of security beyond what we see (John 10:10).  He wants us to focus entirely on the immediate rather than the eternal, the principalities and powers of this world rather than on the One who stands outside of time and history. 

This is what leads us to apathy and inaction or into a panic that something must be done immediately.  Fear typically drives us to the extreme of one direction or the other.  

But here is some good news that can set our hearts and minds at ease. God knows fully what is happening in this world, the extent of the evil occurring, and the plots by the powerful to hold onto their power.  He is not intimidated or cowered by what they do.  In fact, the Psalmist says He laughs and scoffs at their ambitions to be in control.  Not saying He laughs at the pain of the innocents inflicted by them, but rather at their hubris.  What power they have is miniscule compared to the Almighty.

For reasons only known to Him, the Lord allows evil people to do evil things, but it will not always be so.  There will be a day of reckoning for evildoers.  But even with much evil in the world, we can be assured that God has not lost control.  He has a divine plan and it is working its way to completion.  The Enemy only wants us to focus on the chaos of the moment, but know the Lord is at work in the midst of the chaos, just as He was when Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Not everything is as it seems.

Today, if you are filled with fear and anxiety about the state of our country and the world, or even your own life, know the Lord is in control. Though things may appear chaotic and out of control, they are not as they seem.  He is still in charge and unfazed.  So put your trust in Him and let go of your fears.  In the parlance of the day, He’s got this. 

© Jim Musser 2016