I’ve heard quite a few people lately expressing concerns regarding some of the stuff going on and the direction things seem to be going in this country – and, to be honest, I’ve got some concerns and worries myself.
And I’ve written about and will most likely continue to write about those concerns in this column. Now and then, I may veer across the centerline and get overly critical, and I might even employ what some might consider extreme language and hyperbole from time to time.
But I’m going to take a break from all that this week, and, instead, I just want to encourage everyone (myself included) to keep things in perspective and try not to let all this stuff to get too deeply imbedded in our brains.
And, most importantly, don’t let all this craziness destroy your peace.
Jesus promised us that, in Him, we can have a peace that goes beyond our own understanding – which I take to mean that we can have peace inside us, even when it doesn’t make any sense, given the circumstances.
He also promised us that He will always be us regardless of what might going on around us – even if it gets as extreme as mountains taking dives into the ocean.
And I’ve found these promises to be true – though I must say that my end of the deal does require having the good sense to turn to Him when life goes haywire. Sometimes I have, and sometimes I haven’t – and the difference between the two (as far as outcomes) has been pretty noticeable.
And I’ve found that the way I govern my thoughts also makes a big difference. My brain can take some dramatic turns toward the dark side if I’m not careful, and it takes a conscious effort sometimes to keep it in the light.
In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul encourages them to focus their thoughts on good, positive stuff – things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. And not just to think about them, but to turn good thoughts into good actions.
The rock-bottom reality is that God the Father is still on His throne, and Jesus is sitting right there beside Him advocating for us 24-7 – so we would all be wise to think and act as if we really believe that and stop freaking out.
But, anyway, enough preaching for one week.
Just remember to keep your peace, and peace will be with you.
