You can’t listen to media for long without hearing of another mass shooting or a protest over the use of force by authorities. If these aren’t difficult enough to handle, we also see open hostility in our governmental system resulting in shouting matches and threats of physical violence. Add to this the confusion and uncertainty created by our current medical crisis and things aren’t looking good. Unfortunately, many pundits are saying, “If you think this is bad, just wait a while!”
There are those who have the impression that America could never succumb to all these stresses and fall apart. But let me remind you, history has shown that nations who once claimed a reliance on God and then turned from him have faced hardship and even collapse.
I am not attempting to discourage you or cause fear. In fact, just the opposite is true. In these difficult times, we need to be reminded that our hope is not based on how well things are going in our world. In fact, we are informed that we are just passing through this existence in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
Therefore, as men of God, our role in this life is to offer stability and hope to our families and those watching us. The Scripture refers to this as being temperate or stable. This means we don’t base our hope and joy on this life, but on the confidence we have in our eternal home. We must not spend so much time fretting over the situations this life produces, that we fail to give proper attention to being the men who honor God. By the way, most of the debating, complaining, and arguing we do about the problems of this world have no impact on changing the situation.
Please don’t misunderstand my purpose. I love our nation and pray for revival often. I want us to see a return to a calm and God honoring existence. I believe there is a place for peaceful protest and a public standing against those things that are tearing our nation apart. I exercise my privilege to vote and encourage others to do the same. I am simply reminding us that the outcome of our efforts should not be the determinant of our hope and joy.
Instead, we need to stand firm on the promises of God. Hebrews 13:5, Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 1 Peter 1:3-5, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
How does a man develop the quality of steadfastness? First, we must assure that our hope is in nothing but Jesus and him alone for our eternity. We must then affirm out dependency on the promises of God that his plan is best, even when we don’t understand what he is doing. This requires a commitment of faith and obedience. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11, “But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Stand firm. God is in control. This world cannot defeat the hope we have in eternity!