Fires! Bombing! Shooting! Negative headlines were splashed across Jeffery’s computer screen. “Ohh,” he groaned burying his face in his hands. “How can I make it all stop!”
Every day, like Jeffery, we are bombarded with news of some tragedy happening in the United States or around the world. Headlines announce; Wars! Murders! Explosions! Floods! Reporters provide conflicting accounts of people’s words and actions making it difficult to differentiate between the truth and the lies. And who can ignore the moral depravity?
News makes our heads spin
&
fills us with anxiety!
Don’t you want to be like the 3 monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil? It’s easy to speak no evil, but not hearing or seeing it is more challenging. Although we can’t cover our eyes and ears like the 3 monkeys, when we see or hear evil we can still have peace.
It sounds impossible, doesn’t it?
When negative news pops up, it’s easy for us to imagine all the negative “what if’s” of things that could happen. But if we refocus our thoughts on our loving Lord, He promises us peace.
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You,
Isaiah 26:3
Notice that the Lord doesn’t say our peace will only occur when the world is at peace. He simply says for peace remain focused on Me and have faith in Me.
WHAT FAITH?
Faith that the Lord is in control no matter what is happening.
The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all,
Psalm 103:19.
Faith that the Lord still has a plan.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future,”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
THEN WE TAKE ACTION!
Besides finding personal peace, we can also take action to bring peace to our country. By protesting or posting on social media? No, I’m referring to neither of those. I’m referring to this scripture;
“If My people who are called by My name
will humble themselves,
and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin and heal their land,”
2 Chronicles 7:14
I always thought that people turning their hearts to Jesus was the only way to impact our country. Although that would certainly make a difference, it is God’s people that He addresses in this verse.
As believers in Jesus, we can make a difference in bringing peace to our country by following God’s instructions to be humble, pray, seek Him and turn from evil. By our example as lights in the midst of the darkness, we can also help others find peace.
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in heaven,
Matthew 5:16
Mimicking the 3 monkeys won’t bring us peace, but the Lord will.
HE HAS A PLAN
&
KNOWS HOW THE STORY ENDS.
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.
God Himself will be with them and be their God.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away,”
Revelation 21:3-4
REFLECTION
Are you anxious about the negative news? Can you focus on and have faith in the Lord?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write Isaiah 26:3 and say it aloud, remind me to focus on You and fill me with Your peace. Grow my faith so that I am confident that You are sovereign and have a plan. In Jesus name. Amen.
HAVE FAITH & FIND PEACE
IN SPITE OF THE NEWS
Comment!
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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
Photo 3 monkeys, Joao Tzanno
Photo world, artapixel
Photo lion, Jesus_is_our_only_hope
