Savagely Desperate Times

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.”

We are living in cruelly desperate times. Dangerous times. Is this age the most dangerous, the most desperate in history? For many it feels like it is. Many more say we’re living in nerve-wracking times, anxious times. We cannot dismiss the seriousness of the dangers in the world today.

Many nations are developing security strategies beyond one’s imagination. But, in spite of this, today’s security environment has become more complex and dangerous.

There is a group of atomic scientists in Chicago that publish a bulletin, which keeps a “doomsday clock”, that scientists use as a gauge to warn of the chances of a nuclear war. It’s now at 6 min. to midnight.

Another group, the Peace Research Group Institute in Sweden, has estimated 32 separate raging wars in the world today.

There is another organization, called Freedom House in New York, that monitors world conflicts and human rights, that says the world’s not “boiling over” yet, but it may seem that way to many.

Although other statistics paint a comforting picture about the dangers of the modern world, even the experts and historians, political scientists, and others, can become anxious; and say, furthermore, that emotions can be difficult to overcome.

One historian said, “everyone’s nerves get rattled, or shaken by the issues of control. It seems that we have less control over the world.”

Others say there are many good and positive changes in the world, and rightly so; dramatic advances in medicine, positive breakthroughs, marvelous cures, and surprising longevity studies. There are, however, others who say the positive trends and advances don’t matter much when compared or “weighed in the balances” with new evils and growing wickedness in the world.

Can we merely ignore all of these dangers? How does the world cope or approach these dangers? Well, the experts say to ignore such dangers would be irrational. They say also, these dangerous times and new threats need to be put in perspective, so that fear does not dominate people’s lives, and so one can form well rounded opinions about such issues of security and dangers. This is interesting, however, not comforting as it is a human analysis fraught with a human rational approach, under one’s own power, and weaknesses… an analytic approach.

Others say, “by being more informed about world dangers, your reasoning side can overcome your emotional side and you can, in other words, reason things out with your mind and you’re better off.” This, too, is human mind power, efforts, or endeavors to overcome on one’s own initiative, without a solid foundation for guidance and support.
One author said, “to look at problems from many perspectives; that there’s many greater threats than before, but modern medicine saves and extends millions of lives yearly.”

“This is, all right,” a risk expert said, “as long as you don’t give less importance to your legitimate fears.” Well, again, this is all interesting, but merely academic, philosophic, view points. None seem to be comforting to the soul, and can lead many to become even more desperate. It all seems like a mammoth, colossal, fruitless, task.

But, what’s the Christian’s viewpoint, the believer’s way, to all of these new cascading threats and dangers facing us in the world today… these desperate times? Firstly, there’s many Christians that live in a sad state of unbroken anxiety, and others fret and fume terribly, and “whose minds are continually harassed and oppressed by anxiety.” (AH 150)
To be perfectly at peace in the middle of the rush of daily life is a secret worth knowing. What’s the use of worrying? It never made anyone strong; never helped anybody to do God’s will; never made a way of escape for anybody out of his perplexity or problems. Worry, in fact, spoils lives which would otherwise be useful and beautiful.

Restlessness, anxiety and care are absolutely forbidden by our Lord, who said, “Take no thought, that is, no anxious thought, saying what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed.” (Lk. 12:22).

He does not mean that we are not to think ahead and that our life is to be without plans; but, we’re not to worry about these things, “regarding the outcome of future affairs.” (MH 478)

“People just know you live in the realm of anxious care by the lines on your face; it’s stamped on every feature.” (6T 566). Also, “the tones in your voice, body movements, the small, unimportant key in your life, the lack of joy in your spirit. The life forces are crushed by anxiety; spiritual growth cannot be secured or had.” (SC 68)(MH 115).

It’s always weakness to be worrying, fretting, questioning, and mistrusting. Can we gain anything by it? We don’t make ourselves fit for action, or our minds clear for wise decisions. We create a block to the mind, channels are diverted. We are sinking in our struggles in anxiety, when we should be floating in faith!

We read in Ps 37:2, “fret not”! This sounds to me like a divine command; the same as “thou shall not steal, or kill.” Well, it is! “It’s not the fruit of the spirit.”(GW 287)

Let’s go now into a deeper definition of fretting (worrying); made rough on the surface, worn or rubbed away; and a peevish, irrational, fault-finding person; not only wears himself out, but is very wearing to others… rubs people the wrong way.

To fret, furthermore, is to be in a state of vexation, annoyance, irritation; like when missing a bus; or the rush-hour traffic, a daily vexation for many.

In this Psalm (37:1), we are not only told not to fret but God does not want us to hurt ourselves, does He? A physician will tell you that a fit of anger is more injurious than a fever, and a fretful disposition is harmful to the body.” Health is broken down.” (MH 241). There’s a rule for “fretting”, as that for “sowing and reaping.” The next step down (not up) is crossness… just plain meanness, and that amounts to anger; the next step.

Let’s settle this matter here and now, today! Let’s read from Phil 4:6 again, “In nothing be anxious.”!

No anxiety ought to be found in a believer. Yes, I know, our trials may be great and many, our afflictions, our difficulties, yet, there should be no anxiety under any circumstances, because we have a Father in Heaven that is Almighty, and who loves His children as He loves His only begotten Son, and whose joy and delight is to help them at all times and under all circumstances. We should listen to the Word again, “In nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Phil 4:6)

In “everything”, that’s not merely when the house is on fire or when the beloved husband or wife and children are on the edge of the grave, but in the smallest matters of life, bring everything to God, the little things, the very, very little things, what the world calls “trifling things”… everything! Remember… everything. Yet, always living in close communion with our Heavenly Father, and with our precious Lord Jesus “all day long”!

And when we wake at night, by a kind of spiritual instinct, turn to Him again, speak to Him, bring all our little matters before Him in the sleepless night, the family problems, our business, trade or profession, “whatever troubles us”, presses us, speak to the Lord about it in His name, and in His blood. Maybe your spiritual life is neither hot, nor cold, but maybe lukewarm… then, speak to the Lord about it.

Next, by prayer and supplication… waiting, waiting, waiting on God, on the Lord.
Then, with thanksgiving, at all times lay a good foundation with thanksgiving. The Lord has saved us from eternal destruction. He’s given us the truth, prophecy, His Word, His Son (His greatest gift), and the Holy Spirit. We have reason for thanksgiving. So, aim for this with all diligence!

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6). This is such a great blessing, so real a blessing, so precious a blessing, that we must experience this, for it passes all our human understanding; it’s beyond us all!

Try this two to three times a day. Look to see if your heart is not troubled, anxious, uneasy, about something; pause, stop whatever you are doing and reflect on this deeply. And if you find that it is, take care to restore it to the calm of Jesus. Lean your head upon the bosom of the Lord Jesus Christ. “When we are pressed under anxiety, God is near. Spread your anxiety before God.” (DA 329)(SD 19) Open the door of your heart.

“Do not BEGIN to be anxious.”
AMEN.

John Theodorou, USA