Fear

We can't pretend this world is spinning on the delicate cycle. Sometimes it seems our world is out of control. We still have troops in the Middle East; terrorists have attacked repeatedly in recent months, and a group attempting to attack the Olympic Games was arrested; our upcoming elections have people in an uproar; and police officers have come under attack from the people they are protecting and serving.

So when the events of recent days make us want to hide under the covers and pretend there's nothing scary under the bed, how do we, as adults, handle it?

Some people drink. It was common after the devastation of WWI for young people to say, essentially, "To hell with it all!" They spent the next decade in decadence and dissipation.

Some people, myself included, binge-watch TV or read books to escape.

Too much food, spending time with hobbies and family. These might be considered coping mechanisms, healthy or otherwise. Some people just feel depressed and overwhelmed, and that is understandable when you look only at the world around us.

But if you look outside the world, above the earth, you see a God who is still in control. Psalm 27:1-3 says, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war rise against me, in spite of this, I shall be confident."

David wasn't waving it all away and pretending everything was OK. That's not coping; that's living in Disneyland. He had people chasing him, and though he was God's anointed king, his kingdom was constantly at war, from within and without.

"...in spite of this, I shall be confident."

Not confident in a group of people to be rational, kind, and just; they won't be. Not confident in the police to keep us safe; they're only human. Not confident in a political system; ours is rather new compared to all of history.

Confident in an unchanging, dependable, sovereign God who takes joy in His people and loves the world so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross. Take confidence in that.