In Times Like These

ImageEvery generation has probably used that term at one point or another.  It probably went something like this, “In times like this, we need leadership.”  Or, “In times like this, we need someone to bail us out.”  Or, “In times like this, we need to take action.”

Sounds pretty needy, doesn’t it?  Well, that is because we ARE needy.  We need to know that the chaos we find ourselves in called life is going to somehow, some way, settle down and the pieces of the puzzle come together.

We need to know that our life matters, that our life has significance.  We need to know that we will be missed when we are gone.

I went to a church for 13 years (many years ago) and was very involved in the church.  I taught a Bible Study and was there every Sunday.  When the pastor that I had grown to love retired, a new pastor came in, and it was his way or the highway.  So, I, along with half of the congregation took to the road.  I was not bitter or angry, I just had a different vision and opinion of where I needed to be worshiping and the direction that the church was going was different from mine. I did not want to cause trouble for the new pastor, so I left.

About two years later I got an interesting call. It was somebody in the adult department calling to check on me.  I told the fellow that I had been gone for two years, and they just now missed me?  Wow.  That was embarrassing for him…and amazing to me.  We all want to be missed, don’t we?

In times like these, we need to do some things to stay on course.

First:  When someone goes AWOL, call them right away.  Let them know they were missed.  If it were you, you would want someone to notice, right?

Second: When you find yourself needy, look up.  We tend to wait till things get totally crazy before we ask God for help, but He is there, ready, willing, and able to help us.

Third: We need to keep perspective when our world does not make sense.  When things are spinning out of control, get off the merry-go-round.  Allow quiet to calm your heart.   My quiet time is at 3:30 A.M.  No dogs barking, no TV blaring, nobody else awake in the house.  Just me and God. Ask God to speak to you, to guide you, and to give you peace in the storms you are going through.  There is a perfect peace at the eye of a hurricane.  God is the eye in your hurricane.

Fourth: Don’t give up.  It is so easy to quit when times are tough.  You know the old saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going?”  I hate that saying.  It is ridiculous to say to someone, “Get tough,” especially if they are going under for the 3rd time.  We need to be giving them a life preserver.  We need to be helping them out of their chaos.  We need to meet THEIR need.

So, in times like these, we need to focus, to give, and forgive.  We need to cling to hope and faith, and love.  And the greatest of these is…….love.

Shalom!

Dan Skognes

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