Think on These Things

You know what - the world is sometimes a dark and scary place.  And I tend to lean on the side of fearfulness so it takes me a lot of work to ignore the bad and think on "good things".   

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.  I Peter 5:7-11

 Am I afraid of what could happen to me and to my family?  Every.single.day.  Did I used to be like this - no and I honestly don't know what changed in me except that I recognize this is a weakness of mine and of course when you have a weakness that is where you will be attacked.

I am not pretending to be Pollyanna here.  I just can't listen to the news everyday.  We don't live as the world lives and so we are attacked more but yet we are still to have joy.  We are to still have hope but most of us walk around and talk about what's wrong with America as if this earth is actually called America.

America is in fact a tiny part of this world.  While we have been blessed beyond measure for years and years and years - we haven't always had good times - the Civil War, World War I and the unbelievable atrocities of World War II.  We have come far and we have gone back. 

Ecclesiastes 1:9

What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.

 The fact is I have to remember that I am here for a purpose - today in this time.

Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Do Not Be Anxious

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?^{[p] 28} And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  Matthew 6:25-34

Do I say to myself - "What have I done, bringing these children into the world into unknown suffering?  Why did I do this?"  When in fact if I believe that God is in control (and I do) then I know that He has a plan for these children and He has a plan for me.

And I need to be busy about God's work - sharing the gospel, serving others, loving my neighbor.  If in fact I am doing these things - I should have no time for worry.

So I will know what is happening.   But I will not let it consume me.  And I will keep trying to encourage others - because encouragement means the world to me.

Therefore I turn off the news and meditate on these words:

 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Phil. 4:8

We are not alone my friends so share your struggles with those you trust around you.  Ask them to pray for you and share encouraging verses.  Don't struggle in this life alone.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.  Heb. 10:24-25