I've been thinking about current events, and how to deal with them emotionally and spiritually. It's a challenge, both when reading the secular news and when reading about the growing apostasy. I think that we all have to find our own way through this challenge, and because people are so different, we will find different ways of handling it.

For myself, I like to deal with difficulties head on and get it over with. Even though this is stressful, I find it helpful to confront the problems thoroughly and work my way through them. For example, sixteen years ago I had cancer in both breasts. I had double radical mastectomies, followed by chemotherapy. After I got home from the hospital, I went into the bathroom and took off the bandages and looked at myself in the mirror. What I saw there was ugly. So I prayed,

"Lord, You are a God of mercy and love and compassion. If this doesn't look like love to me, then I'm not seeing it right."

 And God gave me some insights that helped me see His love and purpose.

The scars go completely across my chest, except for about two inches in the very middle. They look like two big stripes. And I realized that these stripes were made by doctors who cared about me and wanted to save my life. But the stripes that Jesus had on His back were made by people who hated Him and wanted to destroy Him. And Jesus took those stripes willingly, because He loves me. So now, when I look at those scars, they remind me of how much Jesus loves me.

Reading the news reminds me of riding on a roller coaster. I only rode on an adult roller coaster one time, and that was more than enough. After I was locked into my seat, and the roller coaster was climbing up that long, steep incline, I kept reminding myself about all of the people I had seen get off of that roller coaster without being harmed by it. And I reminded myself that, statistically speaking, I was safer on that roller coaster than I was when I walked in the parking lot. But in spite of my head knowledge, as soon as that roller coaster started going down that long, rapid descent, I started screaming. And I didn't stop screaming until the roller coaster stopped. I knew the truth intellectually. But that wasn't enough to stop me from feeling overwhelming fear. Knowledge and gut feelings can be quite different.

It's similar when I read the news. I know that God is in control, and that nothing takes Him by surprise. I know that He loves me and does what is best. He alone knows my true needs.

I know that American churches have become complacent and worldly, and that its people need a reality check: they need to see their true need for God. Sometimes it hurts to have our eyes opened. But that may be just the medicine needed to get our priorities right. Suffering breaks through the complacency and helps us to take God's truth, holiness, warnings and promises more seriously.

When I took chemotherapy, I knew that it was necessary in order to save my life. (And it worked. I'm here sixteen years later to talk about it.) But the side effects were nasty. And the same thing is true of the suffering caused by the "medicine" of suffering and hardship. So while I value the end result, at the same time, I'm afraid of the painful process (both for myself and for the people I love). I often ask God to strengthen and encourage His people, and to give them wisdom. (I don't know most of them yet, but I'll see them when we all get to Heaven. What a wonderful time that will be!)

I used to wonder how the German people could allow Hitler to come to power. I also wondered how, even after World War II, many Germans said that they didn't know what was really going on. Now I no longer ask those questions. Why? Because I've learned through personal experience that some things are "unthinkable." They are too much to deal with emotionally. They seem to be impossible. And yet, there they are, right in our face. It is easy for our mind to say "Does not compute!" and just blank out, as if the thing doesn't exist.

For example, there is movie called "Twilight" about a teenaged girl who is in love with a vampire. The movie was based on the first book in the series. The books are very popular. Months ago I read that "Christianity Today" and Focus on the Family and other mainstream "Christian" organizations gave favorable reviews of that movie. Well, that information just went over my head. It was so "unthinkable" that I just couldn't deal with it.

Then I went through some difficult experiences with two local churches which both claim to be conservative, Bible-believing churches. One is Presbyterian and one is Baptist. I have attended both of them, and have friends who are members of both of them.

The pastor of the Presbyterian church spoke favorable about the book The Shack in a sermon. Some of the men in his church wrote to him, expressing concerns about teachings in the book. Then he preached about it again, saying that those concerns were valid and he no longer recommends the book. In spite of that, there are people in his church who still think highly of the book.

The Shack presents God as being a woman. The pastor of the Baptist church preached a sermon asking whether God is male or female, and concluding that the answer is "both and neither." His monthly newsletter informed people that a number of copies of The Shack are available in the church's library, and thanked people who had donated copies of the book. The church newsletter also announced that it has a new "small group" that is based on The Shack.

Then an old friend came by to visit. He had been so impacted by The Shack that he couldn't stop talking about it, even when I asked him to change the subject. When I mentioned theological problems with the book, he ignored what I said, and kept on talking about how "wonderful" the book was.

I went through considerable emotional turmoil over that. It was a combination of shock, disbelief, and grief. And concern about the spiritual health of the church in America. A few weeks later, I ran across that article about Twilight and Christianity Today again. By then, I was able to recognize that this is a real problem. The information impacted me this time, instead of just going over my head. It was (and is) difficult to deal with emotionally because I'm distressed about the widespread lack of discernment among American Christians. But at least I was able to recognize the problem and acknowledge it.

One result of that experience is that I have repented of judging the Germans for not recognizing and dealing with the problems that they were facing during the time that Hitler came to power.

We humans are so frail. Only God is able to accurately judge our hearts. Let's have mercy on those who don't understand what is going on, and not judge them for it. And let's pray for everybody involved. Even the people who are doing destructive things. It is possible for people to be so blind that they don't recognize that what they are doing is destructive. People can become so mesmerized by a utopian ideal that they become incapable of recognizing the real-life destruction that results from attempting to impose that ideal on other people.

Our job is to love and forgive and pray. And trust God to take care of the results. He will sort everything out in due time.

The Apostle Paul said, "I know Whom I have believed." (2 Timothy 1:12) That's "Whom" -- The Lord Jesus Christ  -- not "what." He, our Rock and Salvation, speaks the truth, for He is Truth! Our ultimate confidence must rest in His wisdom, Word and character -- not in our own feeble, human understanding of what is going on.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."

Proverbs 3:5-8

See also God's Warnings for our Times

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