Being Up In Down Times

Have you watched the news lately? It doesn't matter if it's local or cable news. It all seems the same. One negative story after another. Whether it's the culture going to pot or another weather disaster or gas prices going through the roof it's enough to make you scream and say, "Jesus, come get me now."

If I wasn't staying tuned to get to my favorite weather forecaster I would be tempted to change the channel, but it's not as though there's a great choice there. I don't believe God expects us to bury our head in the sand when it comes to the culture just to avoid the bad stuff. This has led me to blog for the next two Friday's about having a positive attitude when so much seems wrong today.

My scripture reference today comes from that funny sounding name of a prophet, Habakkuk. He sounds like he should be a character from a Star Wars movie. It's only a three chapter book in the Old Testament, but he has an awesome prayer in the last chapter. His prayer addresses the people of Judah as they're about to fall into the hands of the Babylonians.

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT

Did you catch the operative phrase in these verses? The words even though and yet. Habakkuk pointed out six scenarios that were going on in his time, but he could still rejoice in the Lord. I thought I would give you my translation of the above verse with an application from today.

"Even though gas prices are heading toward five dollars a gallon, and my property values are dropping; even though marriage seems to be taking a beating and is now being redefined; even though food prices seem to be rising as fast as gas prices and politcal correctness seems to have overtaken our society, yet I will praise the Lord! Mark 6:27/08

Even though we seemingly have all these problems and worries today about who's going to be our next president, we can still find peace in the fact we serve a big God who is bigger than our culture and our elections and this is of no surprise to Him. We don't have to go around with our heads hanging and thinking the worst.

If you haven't noticed, it is so easy to go negative. You listen to the news and it's predominantly negative, you read the newspapers and you want to scream and then if you happen to be around people that complain about everything you will without realizing it, suddenly start grumbling yourself. The apostle Paul tells us not to go there. "Do everything without complaining and arguing." Philippians 2:14

I have always found it best to avoid people I know to be complainers and instead hang around people that are going to build me up. It doesn't mean that we ignore today's problems, but instead we can have a different outlook because we know that we are under the sovereignty of our heavenly Father. As the verse says, "He will be the strength that you and I need."

So as we go through our hot season and experience record heat ask the Lord to help you not to go negative. One way that has worked for me is to turn the negative into a thankfulness. While we may have 115 degree days, my house is also not up to its roof in water either. While gas if setting records, I also don't have to drive to work as people in other areas.

I'm off to fill up my wife's car with gas (no doubt it will be more than it was last time), but thank you Jesus that I have a car to drive. Have a blessed weekend and praise the Lord extra this Sunday. Amen.