Panning Pessimism

The apostle Paul provides for us an example of how to persevere through trial and how to maintain the right perspective, even when discouragement is threatening to settle in. Philippians 4 offers these reflections:
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Contentment doesn't mean complacency and it certainly doesn't mean indifference.  Contentment is actually something we need to actively seek.  We have to struggle against the winds and ways of this world in order to find the place, spiritually and mentally speaking, where we have absolute trust in God and that our minds are steadfast in Him.  When the ways of this world attempt to control us, we can dig deeper and place ourselves under the authority and control of the Holy Spirit. 

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Joshua had been appointed the leader of the Israelites, chosen to the lead the people into the promised land. This involved massive numbers of people and quite a bit of preparation. God said to him in Joshua 1:9:
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Then we find Joshua's response; reading on...
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 "Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.' "

There is promise there - not pessimism!  There is much about which to be pessimistic these days - in addition to the overwhelming amount of attention being paid attention to COVID, there are economic concerns.  We continue to see ideologies that run contrary to a Christian worldview that are embraced, leading to a sense of hopelessness, even fear and anger.  We are stressed out and in many cases burnt out.

Had enough?  Well, there is good news with which I want to undergird today's original commentary: there is hope on the horizon; and that horizon could be in sight even today.

The Hill reported on July 25, last Monday, on an ABC News/IPSOS poll; the article says:

More than half of those surveyed in the ABC News/Ipsos poll published Sunday, or 55 percent, said they are pessimistic about the direction of the country. In May, 36 percent indicated the same thing.

Forty-five percent of respondents now report feeling optimistic about the way things are going in the United States. Almost two in three - 64 percent -- agreed in the May survey, however.

With regard to the coronavirus and the Delta variant, "about 6 in 10 also indicated they are concerned, with 20 percent saying they are 'very' and 42 percent saying they are 'somewhat' concerned that they or someone they know will become infected." 

Majorities of Americans favor so-called "vaccine passports" to take part in certain activities.  Another article from The Hill reported on a fairly recent Gallup poll, released in May:

The survey found that 57 percent of Americans would favor proof of vaccination for traveling by airplane, while 43 percent said they would oppose such a measure.

Fifty-five percent of respondents said they favored requiring vaccine passports for attending events that have large crowds — like sporting events or concerts — compared to 45 percent who said they were opposed.

However, 60 percent of those surveyed said they are opposed to requiring vaccine passports for dining in at a restaurant, and 55 percent opposed requiring proof of vaccination to go to work. Fifty-six percent opposed such proof for staying in a hotel.

So, at least as of May, Americans indicated they were not in favor of the type of draconian, two-tier regulations, yet unprinted, as I understand it, out of New York City that relegates people who exercise their rights of privacy and conscience to second-class citizens.  Meanwhile, mixed messaging from the Administration leaves Americans with a sense of confusion.  And fear.  As I've said on the air, the Church has been a strong voice against tyranny and authoritarianism.

When we're afraid, our view of the world becomes skewed. Americans who are afraid soon become pessimistic, and that can lead to despair and a sense of hopelessness. I just heard a commentator yesterday who indicated that panic fuels a willingness to give up on the freedoms that are guaranteed by the Constitution.  Over half of Americans are pessimistic about the future of our country - is it any wonder?

So, we need a good dose of reality - that may mean, probably does mean, a reduction in our consumption of legacy media.  It means sticking with the trusted sources and increasing our intake of the absolute truth of Scripture.  God's Word is reliable and speaks powerfully to our current condition - namely, that He is the source of wisdom and that we can exhibit a firm confidence in Him. We don't ignore circumstances, but we can know that He is with us in the midst of our trying circumstances. 

We also hold firm to the American ideal, the founding principle, that, as it's been said, our rights are given to us by God.  That means government is not the grantor of rights; no, our civil authorities' job is to uphold the rights we've already been given.  When leaders use their power and exploit a public health crisis to subjugate the citizenry, we have a problem.  We need to pray, speak out, and elect leaders who will respect the amazing capacity of the American people to make good decisions.