I’m honored to have the opportunity to share my heart each week. The messages lately have given us some things to think about, as God’s word brings us into a reverential fear and awareness of His presence. Many different types of people read faith columns, including some who are not openly religious, but are curious spectators. I respect your caution and where you are in your journey, and hope you will consider the Bible passages. For those who confess Christ as their Lord, our walks are at different levels of passion as the spiritual fires burn at various degrees within us. Some of you watch the news and browse the internet to see what’s happening in the world, while others have decided that listening to the tsunami of opinions, speculations, and conspiracy theories is taking a toll on their blood pressure and are determined to step away to keep their minds and their conscience as clear and clean as possible. Which, by the way, I sincerely respect you. Whatever the case, we realize that wherever we are, absorbing negative knowledge weighs heavily on our emotions and well-being.
Yes, truth seekers are relentless because they want to know what’s going on, and that’s good, right? They do not want to be deceived, and I can perfectly relate to this way of thinking. However, we seldom consider that much of what we hear is not accurate. Misinformation has become like a plague, and among the many reasons people spew rumors, we can agree that careless gossip comes from a lack of concern and the absence of integrity. The root of slander includes being offended, which is directly associated with falling into a snare trap of hatred and misery. People are paid for their videos, as the general goal is to gain popularity and hopefully go viral. But politics is like the old cycle of he says, she says. We do not positively know what they are saying is true, and we also do not know if it is, or at least a portion of it. So what’s the answer? Ephesians 4:29-32 is a great place to start.
I know some of you are thinking that we should be like a watchman on the walls, sounding the alarm, and blowing the trumpet to warn the people of danger. I understand, and considered myself as God’s messenger, but here is the key: Standing for truth is one thing, but spreading things that might be tainted with deception is another. Besides, if we spend more time dwelling on how evil the world is, we are becoming lopsided in our responsibility to allow God’s light to shine within us. We are filled with light because Christ is greater than sin, but we decide how much of His light is released. He is not focused or depressed about rampant wickedness, and neither should we. The inspiration here is that God knows all about it, and one day soon, He will create new heavens and a new earth. It’s easy to be consumed with discouragement, but it takes faith to climb out of this snare trap and stand firmly in what God has promised. Pause a moment to read Philippians 4:8; it’s a step to renewing the mind and living in peace.
Our point this week is that we all need a large daily dose of hope. The more darkness we listen to and absorb, the more unsteady and powerless we become. In Nehemiah chapter eight, Ezra the priest spoke refreshing words of the Lord to the people, and as they were weeping, he encouraged them to enjoy God’s goodness and reminded them that the joy of the Lord was their strength. The enemy of our souls has a simple but devastating scheme to distract God’s people from His truth, which makes them physically, mentally, and spiritually free. This freedom is a divine spiritual contentment that passes natural understanding. Psalm 62:5-6, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly, he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” So, let us “choose” joy today! Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, the nature and character of a spirit-filled life, and the heart of our personal relationship with Jesus. When we are worried, upset, angry, and disheartened, we drift into depression and hopelessness. Can you see Satan’s strategy? How can we represent God when we are filled with doubt, fear, and confusion? Allow Psalm 42:11 and Romans 15:4-6 to fill your heart with confidence and hope.
Dr. Holland is a Christian minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
