We are living in peculiar and trying times. What it takes to provide for ourselves and our families has greatly intensified because of technology and the ever expanding global culture in which we live. Today we are experiencing things that past generations would never have fathomed.
Not only do we have to deal with the daily grind of feeding, clothing, and sheltering ourselves and our families, we also have to maneuver the plethora of systemic social issues that plague us. This is enough for any community to implode and enough for an individual to give up and throw in the towel.
One of the great misconceptions of Christianity is that because we believe in God, are rooted in Christ, and led by the Holy Spirit, we will not struggle and wrestle with issues. As Christians, many believe we simply shouldn’t have to struggle since we say God is on our side. Because we say there is a God, then we are supposed to be immune to set-backs, disappointment, and tragedies. This is far from the truth. The difference for believers is that our relationship with God allows us to go through issues and problems standing on a firm foundation with the belief that in due season we will be victorious.
The Flood of SC 2015 did not discriminate. African Americans, Whites, Hispanics, male, female, rich, poor, Democrat, Republican, Jew, Christian, Muslim, theist, deist, agnostics, and atheist were all affected. The difference, depending on who we are and whose we are, is how we respond to the storm.
John 14:1 says, Let Not your Heart Be Troubled, you believe in God.
This is not a statement to encourage us to not be concerned about the issues and problems that we find ourselves in, rather trust in God instead of letting your heart, mind, and soul be troubled. At the end of the day, we can worry about things we cannot change, or we can work on the things we can change, trust God, and move forward. South Carolina has been through a lot in 2015: the Walter Scott shooting, the Emmanuel 9 Massacre, and the flood of 2015. All of these things have been tragic, and we cannot change what happened in each instance. However, we can build more peaceful and understanding communities where love and not hate is the order of the day, and we can continue to build our city and state infrastructure so that we can minimize damage caused by natural disasters and increase our capacity to care for one another when natural disasters occur.
Let Not your Heart Be Troubled, you believe in God.
Move forward, take one day at a time, and make it a great day!