Worried about what’s happening in the world

More than ever I hear believers say, “We’re worried about what’s happening in the world. If things don’t change in our country real fast, we’re finished.” Christians shouldn’t live that way. We don’t live by the news; we live by faith in God. When Bulstrode Whitelock was preparing to embark as Oliver Cromwell’s envoy to Sweden in 1653, he was feeling anxious about the tumultuous state of his nation. England had recently gone through civil war, and—for the first and only time in its history—it executed its own king (Charles I). The army and the government were at odds with each other. So were the Presbyterians and Cromwell’s Independents, two branches of Puritans (spiritual heirs of the Reformers from the previous century). It was difficult enough figuring out which direction the country was headed, let alone representing it to another country. The night before his journey, Whitelock nervously paced about. A trusted servant, noticing his employer was unable to sleep, approached him after a while. This exchange took place:

“Pray, sir, will you give me leave to ask you a question?”
“Certainly.”
“Pray, sir, do you not think that God governed the world very well before you came into it?”
“Undoubtedly.”
“And pray, sir, do you not think that He will govern it quite as well when you are gone out of it?”
“Certainly.”
“Then, sir, pray excuse me, but do not you think you may trust Him to govern it quite as well as long as you live?”

The question left Whitelock speechless. He headed for bed and soon was fast asleep. Likewise, we do well to ask ourselves those same questions when fearing what will befall us in today’s world, then rest easy when realizing the obvious answer.

The author of Hebrews was keenly aware that many such concerns in running the Christian marathon would plague us. Therefore, this is what he said to do: “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin” (vv. 3–4). In other words, “I don’t see any of you bleeding. It may be a little rough at the water cooler, you may get hassled in class, and you probably won’t get preferential treatment by the government or anyone else, but you haven’t been crucified like Someone I know.”

When you start thinking it’s too tough to live the Christian life, consider One who endured such hostility that He went as far as death—and realize you haven’t gone that far yet. Having that in mind has a way of keeping your anxieties in check. When you grow weary in the race, focus that much more on Jesus. Remember that His life of faith led to joy and triumph, and yours will too.
MacArthur, J. (1993). Anxiety Attacked. MacArthur Study Series (57–59).

God asks us to make a clear mental choice to unburden ourselves.
Sometimes we are so caught up in our feelings and our misfortunes, we need to put them aside and as the Bible says “consider Him … so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:3).
Redman, B. (2010). God knows my name: Never forgotten, forever loved.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1–3)

I thought this addressed what many of us have or are feeling about how things are going in our country and in the world today, so thought it would be good to share with everyone. It's a short excerpt from a book called, Anxiety Attacked" by John MacArthur and a short quote from God knows my name by Redman. Hope it was encouraging for all.