Uncertainty, Anxiety, and Confidence in God

The thought of what could be coming in our future - morally, economically, and politically - can produce a sense of anxiety and even a lack of hope.  God wants us to draw near to Him with confidence, knowing that He is with us and He will sustain us and give us peace and joy even in those difficult times. Psalm 91 reminds us:
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

Think with me about the concept of a "secret place" with God.  Do you know what that looks like? Have you experienced it?  I would think you could describe it as a one-on-one experience with the Almighty, when we pull away from the cares of this life and abide in and even rejoice in the care He has for us.  He calls us to come before Him, to approach His throne, to know He loves us and will walk with us through uncertain and challenging times.

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In times of uncertainty, which can produce anxiety in our hearts and minds, we can renew our confidence in Christ. Here are some encouraging words from Hebrews 10:
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

I want to encourage you to be in prayer for the U.S. Supreme Court as the nine justices consider how to handle the issue of what is called "same-sex marriage."  A decision is imminent, within the next couple of weeks.

While you never can predict what the Supreme Court is going to do, a new survey gives an indication as to what Americans think the high court will do.  According to a PRRI - Public Religion Research Institute - poll, nearly two-thirds, or 65% of Americans believe that the court will overturn state bans preventing same-sex couples from marrying and make same-sex marriage legal nationwide. Only 25% of those surveyed say they believe the Supreme Court will leave existing state bans on same-sex marriage intact. One in ten (10%) Americans offer no opinion on the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling.

And the speculation somewhat corresponds to the degree of support for same-sex marriage.  80% of those who favor same-sex marriage believe the Supreme Court will make same-sex marriage legal nationwide.  But, opponents of same-sex marriage are divided on the outcome. Nearly half (47%) believe that the Supreme Court will legalize same-sex marriage while roughly as many (42%) believe the court will uphold the bans.

Almost two-thirds, or 63% of white evangelical Protestants and 60% of Catholics say they expect the court to make same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

Overall, 55% of those surveyed favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally, while 37% are opposed. Strong generational, religious, and partisan divisions persist on the issue. For instance, in categories related to religion, majorities of religiously unaffiliated Americans (79%), white mainline Protestants (60%), and Catholics (58%) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. Conversely, only 29% of white evangelical Protestants and 35% of non-white Protestants support making same-sex marriage legal; majorities of white evangelical Protestants (62%) and non-white Protestants (54%) oppose.

There was a question about what is described as "discrimination" against LGBT individuals, which includes a broad description.  69% of Americans in this PRRI survey favor laws that would protect LGBT individuals against discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing, compared to 25% who oppose such policies.  Fifty-nine percent of non-white Protestants, 60% of white evangelical Protestants, 67% of white mainline Protestants, and 71% of Catholics favor nondiscrimination laws for LGBT people.   Of course, you have to define what is meant by discrimination.  Non-discrimination laws that have been passed or proposed have dealt with creating special classifications or special rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  But, the question did not appear to go far enough in accurately measuring opinion on that topic.

And, this survey said that 60% of Americans oppose allowing a small business owner to refuse products or services to gay and lesbian people, even if doing so violates their religious beliefs, while 34% support such a policy.  Again, a general question.   When you narrow it down to a business providing services related to marriage, as WPA and Rasmussen have done in surveys earlier this year, the outcome changes. Family Research Council reports that a WPA Opinion Research poll found 81 percent of Americans believe the "government should leave people free to follow their beliefs about marriage as they live their daily lives at work and in the way they run their businesses." A Rasmussen Survey reported 70% of Americans "agree that a Christian wedding photographer who has deeply held religious beliefs opposing same-sex marriage has the right to turn down working a job at such a wedding."

By the way, FRC is involved in the Call 2 Fall event on the Sunday prior to July 4th - an event in which over 2 million churches have participated.   It is simple and involves setting aside a definite time during worship on June 28 when people are called to get on their knees and faces before the Lord for 3 to 5 minutes in repentant prayer for God to reshape our lives and renew our land. The event website says:

Why that Sunday? Because on the day before we celebrate our "Independence," we should also express our "Dependence" upon the Lord. Throughout this special day, we encourage believers to spend time on their knees in crying out to God to heal our souls and our land.

So, what are the takeaways from the PRRI research.  Well, for one thing, there is plenty of uncertainty.  Polls are taken from a representative sample, and while they can give information on trends and give us points for discussion, they are not completely definitive.   There is uncertainty in what the Supreme Court is going to do.  And, we know that the direction of our nation is at a critical juncture.  We cannot know what is taking place in the future, but we serve Someone who does.  And, we submit ourselves to His will and His control.  He calls us to pray, to seek Him, and to be dependent on Him, and He does give us the opportunity to shape the future by our alignment with Him.  In uncertain times, we place our lives in the hands of a God of Whom we can be certain.

And, uncertainty can produce anxiety.  I feel it; you probably do, too, if you're engaged in cultural issues.  Maybe you think about the implications of a sweeping decision by the high court that allows gay marriage in all 50 states, and even more personally, how that might affect your church or your business.  In those times when we tend to become fearful or anxious, that is when we need to press into the peace of God.  If uncertainty is producing that anxiety, maybe even a sinking feeling about the future direction of our nation and the institution of marriage, we can be motivated to pray, to abide in Christ, and to trust in His Word and His power.