The Hands that Hold Tomorrow
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Well, the presidential election is over, and about
half of you are happy and half are disappointed. That’s the reality of an
election, we have a winner and a loser, and with that, a decision is made. I am
thankful the campaign ads are done. Here in Ohio we were so bombarded by
commercials, billboards and phone calls. Now maybe some peace and quiet can
return to our already commercialized lives.
And whether you are thrilled with the outcome or
saddened by the results, I can assure you of one thing: God is in control. I am
reminded of one of my favorite verses from John 14 verse 1 which states “Let
not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” That is so
reassuring to know that God wants us to let go of worrying, let go of feeling
troubled, and trust in Him.
That
sense of peace does not necessarily come easy. There have been many times in my
life when I allow stress to overtake my heart. I feel a sort of panic attack,
especially when something is out of my control but still impacts my life. I can
easily hop on and ride the roller coaster of fear, doubt and insecurity, and
boy what a ride it can be. The up side of that coaster sometimes provides a
breath-taking moment of joy, like when I got my first full-time job after
college graduation. I thought all my problems were over, my income was secure
and my life was figured out.
Well,
you know the story. That was five careers, twenty years of part-time-teaching, four
published books (with two that were canceled) and a lifetime of changes ago. The
more settled I feel the more life changes, and I am left on the downside of the
hill trying to rediscover that sense of peace.
Anyone
who knows me will also tell you I am a certified worry-wart. I can turn even
the smallest illness into mentally planning my own funeral or stay awake at
night worrying about that bill that didn’t get paid. What I tend to focus on is
the worry of the unknown when I should be focusing on the peace of the known.
So, the election is over, and some of you are on the
upside of the coaster while others are on the down. Either way, a decision was
made, and now it’s up to us to find our own peace. As a nation, we need to pray
for our president, for our country and for all of our elected officials. We are
a beacon of hope in the world, of freedom and liberty. Some of us may be
democrats, some republicans and some independents, but we are all Americans.
And as someone much wiser than me used to remind me,
today is the day the Lord has made and we should rejoice and be glad in that
(Psalm 118:24). It is time to rejoice. It is time to shout for joy. All of us. Wherever
your heart is with the election, I can assure you of one thing: God is in control.
Posted by Trish Berg 2:22 PM
