With news of hostilities with Iran flooding the internet and media, it is easy to feel unsettled, stressed and worried. The world seems unstable, and we might fear for the future. Where do we turn in times of stress and worry?
While a distant conflict may leave us uneasy, the worries that weigh most heavily on us are often closer to home, like how to pay the electric bill, what the results of a medical test will be, or how to help a child who seems to be heading down the wrong path.
Regardless of the causes of our concerns, the answers are still the same. God is the one who holds the future. We are called to do what we can do and then trust God to do the things we cannot. Martin Luther once said, “Work as if everything depends on you, and pray as if everything depends on God.” Faith is not simply waiting for God to intervene. It means doing what is ours to do while trusting God with what is beyond our control.
Scripture reminds us that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging,” (Psalm 46:1-3). The Bible doesn’t promise freedom from frightening situations, but promises that God will walk with us, even when we travel through “the valley of the shadow of death,” (Psalm 23:4).
Whatever fears may be weighing on you right now, God assures us that we do not face them alone. He desires to walk alongside us, guide us and give us peace even in uncertain times. The question for us is simple: will we choose to walk in step with Him today?
John Reside
Minister at First Christian Church
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Kewanee Voice.
***This column is sponsored by the Kewanee Ministerial Association
