Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.-Philippians 4:6-7

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; – Psalm 46:1-2

 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. – Philippians 4:8

 

  I’ll Meet You Where You Are

When I awoke this morning
I felt abandoned and alone.
This house, once a haven,
No longer felt like home.

The ghosts of my heartbreak,
Lurked in every room;
And my memories were all tainted
By a sense of pending doom.

I really need a hero,
With a white hat and white horse.
Someone who will save me,
And who will keep me safe of course.

But I can’t seem to discover
Just who my hero is,
Or when my broken heart will mend
Or where I’ll find my bliss.

I wondered to myself,
“Could I be suicidal?”
In reply, I clearly heard,
“Girl, you better find a Bible.”

“What good is a Bible,” I thought,
“When I’ve drifted off so far?”
“Get on your knees”, the voice replied
“I’ll meet you where you are.”

I knelt and found my hero,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He wants to be my savior
And will keep me safe of course.

He will mend my broken heart
And help me find my bliss.
If only, when I am feeling lost,
I will remember this;

I need be anxious about nothing,
Nor ever feel unsafe.
For with prayer and supplication
I can activate my faith

Remembering that if He provides
Everything even for the least,
Of course, He’ll provide for me
Everlasting love and peace.
©Linda Troxell 11-26-16

The world we live in can sometimes be frightening. It seems to be full of violence and hate and death and war. It is very difficult to believe we are safe in such a world. However, it is important to remember that no matter what appears to be true, we have nothing to fear, for God is in charge. Psalm 46:1-2 tells us God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; We don’t know what God has in store for us day to day, but, as Christians, we are sure of the ultimate destination. In the end, we will be in paradise and live forever with our God.

When we are having difficulty remembering that we have nothing to fear, we can always turn to the bible and read those verses such as, Deuteronomy 31:6 that assure we can Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”  The Bible is our greatest ally for keeping our faith in God’s promises. Therefore, it is important that we read it every day. However, even with the Bible to help us, we can hardly expect to be able to have the mindset that all is well and God is in charge if we spend our time entertaining negativity.

Whether we like it or not, we are influenced by our environment, including what we watch, to what we listen and that in which we participate. So if we really want to believe God is in charge; if we want to believe all is well and we want to feel safe, we must limit the amount of negativity to which we are exposed. But how can we limit the negativity; this is a negative world and we can’t change that. No, we can’t change the world, but we can change ourselves, including that to which we pay attention and that which we entertain.

For example, how often do you sit at work, or school, or at coffee after the gym and listen, even participate in gossip? Gossip is any discussion of a person who is not present and it is rarely positive.  Let’s be honest, when was the last time you sat with a group of people and talked about how much you love your job, how your boss is the most benevolent and fair person you’ve ever worked for or how to help Sally by chipping in and buying her some groceries?  No, that is just not how it goes. When we gather in groups, somehow, despite our best intentions, we end up pandering to the lowest common denominator; negativity.

Then after a day of negative interaction, we listen to the news on the way home and hear about every sinful, cruel and horrible act of which mankind is capable. Then, perhaps over dinner, and again before bed, we watch more news about politicians who are corrupt, wars that are unjust and families who are displaced because of the corrupt politicians and unjust wars. After all of that negativity, we expect to be able to believe that the world is a safe place, people are trustworthy and all is well because God is in charge. Well, my friends, it doesn’t work that way.

We have all heard the cliché born of the computer age, garbage in garbage out. Well, that is also how our mind works. When we pay attention only to negativity, ugliness, and sin, those things become our reality. The good news is that it works the other way as well; quality in, quality out. When we pay attention to the positive, such as good works and love, then those things become our reality. That is why Paul told us in Philippians to meditate on the good and positive things.  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. – Philippians 4:8

It is our choice. Of course, we cannot decide what happens in the world, we cannot influence what is on television (although, if we all quit watching it would change pretty darn quickly), and we are not in charge of what others talk about. But we are in charge of that which we entertain. We, alone, decide to what we will listen, what we will watch and that in which will participate. In that way, we create our own reality. If we entertain negativity, such as gossip, the nightly news, and politics we will live in a world of fear, hate, and hostility. If we entertain the positive, such as scripture, church-sponsored activities, and discussions with a group of positive, honorable friends, we will live in a world of security, love, and cooperation. A world where it is easy to remember that God is in charge and all is well.

 

Points for Prayer and Pondering

1. The answers to this series of questions are more powerful if you actually write your answers then if you just think about them: How many hours in a week do you spend watching television and listening to the Radio?  How many of those hours are spent watching or listening to the news?  How many hours do you spend watching or listening to spiritual programming weekly? How many hours do you read the Bible weekly?

2. Now, consider those number, really look at them, and plot a graph if you dare. Do you think the numbers need to change in order for you to have a more positive and Godly outlook on life?

3. Beyond changing what you watch on television or listen to on the radio, what are 3 things you feel you could easily stop doing or start doing in order to have a more positive outlook on life?

4. What things in your life are you willing to change in order to ensure your attitude and outlook become more positive and Christ-centered?