Article

Pathways for Turbulent Times

If you want more out of life, this book is for you! Be prepared for some surprises though. It may challenge some of your ideas. It may stretch your mind in ways that make you feel uncomfortable at first. But if you are the kind of person who isn't satisfied with the status quo, if you wonder sometimes if life couldn't be better than it is, read it!

Put it All Together

“Hope keeps the heart whole.”

—Antony Brewer

His suicide note wasn‘t very long. But then, Eric wasn’t very old. He said he did it because everything was black. He said he wanted the hurt to be over. He said it was the only way out, and he hoped they would understand. Through their tears and agony, his parents asked the same question that we do: Why?

Why, indeed? Why do people give up on life? There are no simple answers. One thing stands out, though. Ours is an age of anxiety, even for the young who seem to have everything to live for. Instead of hope, pessimism often dominates. And there is fear. Vague, formless apprehensions hover in the air. Other threats and specters have names and shapes: war, poverty, disease. They cast their dark shadows on all of us. Sometimes we find ourselves wondering who or what will strike the next blow. Will we be victims of cancer? Of terrorism? Of crime? Of a nuclear holocaust? Will we be robbed of our loved ones by some terrible illness or fatal accident? Is there any reason to believe that we will ever reach our goals and experience fulfilment?

Maybe we have lived with a sense of doom for so long that we’ve grown accustomed to it. We’ve learned how to keep our masks in place and keep going somehow. Is this the way it has to be? No. We have resources that can make a difference in every area of our lives. Because of them, we can overcome our problems. We can keep moving toward success day by day and look toward the future with complete confidence. What are these resources, and how do they help us?

Topics

Disarm Fear with Truth

Turn Obstacles into Assets

Experience Lasting Hope

Stay on Course

Focus

This chapter will help you to:

Deal effectively with anxiety and apprehension.
Use adversity to your advantage.
Look beyond death with hope and positive anticipation.
Know how to relate your resources to all areas of life.

Disarm Fear with Truth

Focal Point 1. Understand how truth overcomes fear.

In our last chapter, we explained how we can be brought into God’s family through His Son, Jesus Christ. Certain resources become ours when this happens. We are given a new kind of confidence which is an effective antidote to our fears. But in order to actually possess this confidence, we must do two things: 1) we must understand the truths about God that can deal with our fears, and 2) we must act upon these truths. Let’s look at some of the fears we may have and how we can defeat them.

Overcome the Fear of Destruction

In today’s world, many different threats seem poised to destroy us. There is nuclear war, for example. Several decades have passed since atomic weapons were invented and used in World War II. Today, the possibility of a global holocaust has become an unwelcome feature of our everyday lives. Have we grown so accustomed to it that we are no longer horrified, as we once were? Sadly, perhaps so. But the fear is still there.

Nuclear weapons are appalling, and the power to unleash them lies in the hands of just a few. You and I may be convinced that we would never approve their use under any circumstances. But there may be idealistic zealots or power-crazed madmen who would. Perhaps one day we might succeed in dismantling these hideous weapons. Yet that wouldn’t bring a permanent solution, because the knowledge of how to build them would still remain. We cannot go back. Our position seems extremely vulnerable. Even if every nuclear weapon in the world were eliminated, a conventional air strike on a nuclear power station would result in unbelievable radioactive fallout. Chernobyl would look like a minor mishap by comparison.

There is another kind of destruction we may fear. We may be afraid of disease. We may wonder if cancer will strike. Other grim scenarios may unfold in our minds. If one of our relatives has had a heart attack or has been crippled by some serious illness, we may worry that the same thing will happen to us. This fear can cause us to overreact to symptoms or problems that we notice. It can absorb our time, energy, and money, and rob us of our peace of mind.

Some of our fears are justified. War — be it nuclear, biological, or conventional — may come in spite of our efforts to prevent it. Disease seems to be a persistent feature of our environment. No sooner is a cure found for one illness than a new one rises up. AIDS was virtually unknown in the Western world a few decades ago. Now thousands are at risk because of it and many have already died. And certain illnesses are inherited. Even if we try, we may not be able to escape problems like these.

No wonder many of us find ourselves going through life with a sense of apprehension. But we do not need to! There is a powerful truth that outweighs these fears. This truth is that God has not abandoned this world. If you have accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, you have a relationship with Him. His purpose for you and for the universe will not be turned aside by anything that has happened or will happen. He is in charge of the future. Our ultimate destiny is not left to chance or to the caprice of our fellow human beings. Our God is the Supreme Master of everything. At any point, He can intervene directly in the affairs of the human race.

When Jesus Christ was on earth, He showed His authority over the forces of nature, death, and disease. He proved that God’s power was greater than any of these things. God is the same today. He can reverse the progress of a malignant tumour and restore a person to complete health. Well-documented cases show that divine healing is a reality. But even if God does not intervene immediately when illness strikes, if a fatal disease runs its course and we die, we have not been defeated. He has said that at the right time, He will give us new bodies that are completely beyond the reach of death and decay. What this means we shall look at in a few moments.

God can also prevent mankind from destroying itself by nuclear warfare. He will step into the picture if it suits His plan for us and for the world. The choice is His. But if the unthinkable does happen and nuclear war comes, that is not the end. He has already vowed to recreate the entire cosmos. And He will!

Certainly we should do everything we can to avoid disaster. We should work for peace and be men and women of peace. We should not be careless with our lives and our health. But beyond all that, the theme of our thoughts should not be a compulsive search for security. It should be trust in our Father. Nothing that touches us can break the bond we have with Him. In Christ, He has joined Himself to us forever. We are in Him, and He is in us.

Paul, a leader in the early Christian community, understood this truth. As God’s Spirit guided him, he expressed it this way: “I am certain that nothing can separate us from Christ’s love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below—there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Look at that list. It couldn’t be more complete, could it?

Defeat the Fear of Rejection

The fear of rejection is the belief that others won’t accept us. This fear may have roots deep in our past. Our parents may not have given us the love that we needed, or we may have been abused or mistreated. Things may have happened later on in life to discourage us from showing affection to others. When we fear rejection, we can’t form lasting friendships. We are sure that people will dislike us or misunderstand us.

Both the fear of rejection and rejection itself can create negative patterns that become extremely hard to break . Some people respond to these experiences by turning the rejection toward themselves. If nothing happens to stop them, they become suicidal. Others withdraw from society. Still others stay year after year in situations where they are continually abused. They have convinced themselves that no one could ever love them, and they are apparently trapped completely by their negative lifestyle.

If you are troubled by fears, experiences, or patterns of rejection in your life, what truth is the antidote to them? It is this: Rejection is not the fundamental reality of your life; acceptance is. Why? Because when you believe in Jesus Christ, you are accepted by God — fully, completely, and totally. The Father loves you in the same way that He loves His Son.

No acceptance could be greater than that! It has no conditions, restrictions, or limitations. It includes God’s forgiveness whenever you need it. The Bible says, “God has poured out His love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to us.” This means you can actually experience God’s love because of what the Holy Spirit is able to do.

If you have been rejected or fear rejection, remember that God loves you. He made you in the first place. And He literally gave everything that He had and suffered indescribable grief and tearing in order to rescue you. That is the value He places upon your life. His estimate of you is the true one. You can turn to God at any time with honesty and confidence. He will never reject you! His love can heal you and give you courage to reach out to others.

Conquer the Fear of Deprivation

A third kind of fear is the fear of deprivation. We can be afraid that we will lose something we value or treasure — our reputation, our job, our material possessions, or the love of those who are important to us. This fear can turn us into overprotective parents and jealous spouses. It can make us force our family and friends to hover around us and pay attention to us until they feel trapped and resentful. It can make us spend unreasonable, exorbitant sums to protect ourselves and our belongings. It can keep us awake at night as we imagine all the horrible things that might happen.

Certainly no one would argue that we should ignore reality. There are thieves, rapists, terrorists, child-molesters, and kidnappers on our streets. Many modern currencies are unstable and the business climate is often uncertain. Our responsibilities obviously mean that we need to take care of the things we have. But there is a point at which reasonable precautions become obsessions.

What truth can free us from the fear of losing what is dear to us? The Bible says, “Every good and perfect gift comes from heaven; it comes down from God.” This tells us that God is our source. It means that all the good things we have are from Him. This truth can help you take positive, assertive action against your fears. What should you do?

Make a habit of thanking God for the things He has given to you. This will set you free to truly enjoy them. Giving to others will become part of your life. Instead of manipulating your friends and your family, you will be able to trust them and love them freely. Instead of hoarding and grasping, you will become open-handed and generous. And you will make a wonderful discovery. All that you give will be returned to you in a form that no one can take away. An attitude of thanks to God for what you have will help you in the future as well. You will build up a pattern of trusting God that will give you stability in times of change and loss.

At all times, remember that God is your source. You belong to Him. He has inexhaustible resources to heal, restore, and supply. You can trust Him to meet your needs as a child trusts his father. He said, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” He knows what your needs are perfectly, and His power to meet them is unlimited. He has your highest and most complete fulfilment in mind. You are secure in His love, and you can rely on His care.

Exercise 1: Prescription for Overcoming Fear

Let these truths change your thoughts and actions.What are your fears? Mark or write them in after the specific truth about God that can liberate you from them.

God is greater than your fears, no matter what they are. The more you know Him and His character, the less anxiety you will have. But fears and anxieties are not the only things we must deal with in life. What about the times when there is actual failure, pain, and suffering? Can these negative experiences work for us? If so, how?

Turn Obstacles into Assets

Focal Point 2. Discover how to make difficulties and setbacks work in your favour.

Life certainly seems confusing at times. There are criminals who are never punished, and law-abiding citizens who are victimized and mistreated. Accidents, diseases, and natural disasters overtake people who sincerely believe in God and try to do what is right. In our own lives, bad things happen to us through no fault of our own. Why? It doesn’t seem fair.

Exercise 2: What is your Personal Obstacle Course Like?

List some of the problems or limitations in your life that you find hard to deal with. This will give you points of focus as you read the suggestions that are given in the following discussion.

Physical handicap
Family situation
Financial problems
Racial prejudice

Other? ………………………………………………………………………………..

At first glance, difficulties simply do not fit into our plans. In fact, they can frustrate us and make us bitter and angry. They can tempt us to look at God with suspicion, even after He has proved His love to us. But if we have a relationship with Him, we can see them in a different light. They don’t need to become obstacles. On the contrary, they can actually help us to reach our goals.

Problems are Part of a Larger Picture

The problems we have do not mean that our Father is against us or has lost control of the situation. He is not some kind of monster who wants us to be miserable.

On one occasion, Jesus met a man who had been blind from birth. His followers reacted the way many of us would: “Who sinned — this man or his parents?” The response of Jesus is very illuminating. He refused to assign guilt. He said, “This happened so that God’s power might be seen at work in him,” and He healed the man.

The healing demonstrated several important facts: a) Jesus Christ was sent by God to restore, not to judge; b) God does not avoid men and women in their misery, and c) God’s power can solve human problems, no matter what has caused them. In times of need, turn to God, your Father, not away from Him. Expect Him to help you.

So when we meet with times of suffering and pain, what are we to think? When we examine His plan, we discover that our suffering is linked in a rather mysterious but intimate way with something called “glory.” This is the quality that surrounds God and His work. What exactly is it?

Glory has to do with the two sides of God’s design for us: 1) that we know Him, and 2) that we become like Him. In other words, He wants us to both see His glory and share His glory. The fact that suffering should be tied to these purposes is a strange and puzzling arrangement. Yet the Bible says there is an unmistakable connection. How does it work?

Problems Can Move Us Toward Our Goals

If we respond to problems correctly, they can actually help us reach our full potential. They can force us to flex our spiritual muscles and build strength of character.

The secret is to keep the right attitude. Learn to fix your attention on Jesus Christ as your model and example. His road to victory and glory went through the valley of rejection, sorrow, and grief. If you want to share His success don’t be surprised if your path goes in the same direction. Important things will take place in your life when you have trials. They will forge a bond with Jesus that nothing else can, and they will shape you so that you grow more like Him. The Bible says, “We are being transformed into His likeness with ever- increasing glory.”

The Bible tells us that our God is the Father of compassion. It says that He “helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received.” If you keep the right attitude when you have problems, you will discover the comfort God can give you. And you’ll see other people differently. Instead of criticizing and blaming them for their mistakes, you will know how to treat them with true compassion. The strength you will be able to give will be much greater than your own. It will come from God Himself. Peter, a close follower of Jesus, went through an experience that helped him learn how to do this.

During the arrest and trial of Jesus Christ, the pressure on Peter grew more and more intense as each development unfolded. Jesus knew that Peter was going to fail and warned him ahead of time. But Peter was confident that he wouldn’t. Yet when the test came, he did exactly what Jesus said he would. Three different times, people recognized him as a follower of Jesus. Each time, Peter strongly denied that he knew Him, even to the point of swearing that he did not. Later, he wept bitterly when he realized what had happened. It was a wrenching, terrible defeat.

But Peter’s failure was not the end of the story. The rest of his life shows that he learned how to have faith in God instead of confidence in himself. He gained a new ability to help other people in their struggles and was a tower of strength to the Christian community. But even that isn’t all. After his experience, he wrote two letters full of hope and faith which became part of the Bible. Through them he is still offering encouragement to people today, hundreds of years after he died.

Do not think that God is against you when you have problems. The Bible says that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” This statement does not mean that negative experiences are good in themselves. No, they are not. God is not the source of pain, injustice, loss, or betrayal. But the fact is that sometimes He allows these things to come into our lives, and sometimes we ourselves fail. When this happens, we should not be upset. He is still in control. His power is so great that He can bring good out of it. He is with us at all times. He will make us like Jesus Christ, and we will share His glory.

Exercise 3

Review the problems you have listed in 2. Can you see them in a different light? Ask God to help you see a way forward. Is it at all possible to use them to develop maturity and strength of character?

Our relationship with God helps us know how to turn our obstacles into assets. But there is still more. Because we belong to Him, even death itself has been robbed of its sting.

Experiencing Lasting Hope

Focal Point 3. Find reasons why you can look ahead with genuine optimism.

You can look beyond death with hope because you share the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Nothing can destroy this hope. What exactly is it, and can you be sure that it is yours?

The Vital Connection

When you are joined to Jesus Christ, He is in you, and you are in Him. What happened to Him will happen to you. The Bible says that “if we have been united with Jesus Christ in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.” By believing that Jesus died for you, you share in His death. And because you have shared His death, you will also share in His resurrection. What does this mean?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ shows that we will experience complete fulfilment. Our relationship with God will go on forever. As it continues to unfold, our highest aspirations and deepest longings will be satisfied. Our personal destiny is secure.

After Jesus was raised, His body was no longer subject to the physical laws of the material world. Yet His friends recognized Him. The same will be true of us. We will be changed, but that change will not rob us of our humanity. We will not merge with the universe or be reincarnated, as some people think. Quite the opposite. We will remain who we are. At the same time — and this is the reason why we will be totally fulfilled — we will reach our complete potential.

In other words, though we are “ourselves” now, we will be even more truly “ourselves” then. Why? Because our authentic identity, what we are really meant to become, is wrapped up in Jesus Christ. The limitations we must cope with now will be removed. When they are, the change in us will be as profound as the transformation of an insignificant seed into a huge tree. The Bible describes what happens this way: “When the body is buried, it is mortal; when raised, it will be immortal. When buried, it is ugly and weak; when raised, it will be beautiful and strong. When buried, it is a physical body; when raised, it will be a spiritual body.” How does this take place?

The Dramatic Encounter

God has said that He plans to bring an end to the world system as we see it now. At the time He has set, Jesus Christ Himself will return, and the impact of His momentous, sudden appearance will affect everything. Everyone who belongs to Him will be transformed. We do not have to stumble through life, wondering what our fate will be. Whether we live or whether we die, ahead of us lies resurrection, transformation, and fulfillment.

Two different sequences can occur. First, we may be alive when Jesus comes. This is a distinct possibility. A ripening is taking place in the world. Life will not merely continue as it is. There will be an abrupt halt, as sudden and as irrevocable as the coming of a gigantic flood that sweeps everything aside. The Author of history has already written the last pages, and we may be much nearer to the final moment than we realize.

Or second, we may die before Jesus returns. If this happens, we have nothing to fear. Death is not an accident but an appointment. It is simply the doorway into His presence. We belong to Him, and we will be with Him immediately. Deformity, illness, and imperfection will not trouble us any more. Even years of suffering will vanish. Time as we experience it now will no longer exist, for we will have entered Eternity. We will be secure knowing that everything will take place just as God has planned.

But no matter what happens first, the knowledge that we will meet Jesus Christ has a dramatic impact on our lives right now. We must be prepared. Jesus simply says “be ready.” What does He mean?

The Ongoing Challenge

Suppose you were an artist. Imagine that you were to receive this message from the director of the most important art gallery in the nation.

I would like to invite you to prepare several paintings for display in our gallery. The exhibition will take place one year from now. At that time, your paintings will be viewed by the public and examined by an international panel of judges. If the judges are pleased with the works you have submitted, they will select a number of them to be included in an exhibition that will travel to the major cities of Europe and America. If you agree, the paintings they choose will be purchased from you to become part of our permanent collection.

If you were to accept such an invitation, your whole life would change. You would put everything else aside for the next year and focus all of your energy in one direction. You would do the best work you possibly could.

In some ways, your position now is similar, though you don’t know exactly how much time you have. You have accepted an invitation from God, your Creator. By doing that, you have committed yourself to an ambitious project that will require devotion, discipline, and even sacrifice. That project is learning how to live as Jesus Christ did in this world. You will pursue excellence in its highest form. In the process, you will discover how to make each relationship and task in your life a thing of beauty.

Yet you have accepted an invitation that goes far beyond your personal success. God’s design is much greater than that! It includes everyone who loves Him. How does this work? As you reach for your destiny in Jesus Christ, God brings you together with others who love Him. Isolation and loneliness fall away. Envy, jealousy, and self-interest all disappear.

As you pursue the goal of being like Jesus Christ, you can have a true, deep sense of accomplishment day by day. What you do has meaning, not just for now and not just for yourself. It touches others and links you to the future because it places you at the center of what God is doing. The Bible says that when the time is right, God will “bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.”

Exercise 4: Dare to Write your own Epitaph

Project your imagination ahead and visualize the end of your life on this earth. Think of the challenge you have accepted. Then ask yourself this question: What do l want people to say was the overall impact of my life? Try to state an answer in one sentence. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

You can begin your work right now with confidence because you haven’t been left on your own. You are part of God’s community. God is for you! He wants you to be successful. And if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Spirit of God actually lives in you. He will motivate you and lead you toward the fulfilment He intends you to experience. But that’s not all.

You have another important resource too. God has given you the Bible. Through its pages, He will speak to you personally so that you can know Him better and understand the kind of success He wants you to have. Your life doesn’t have to be chaotic and frustrating. Your relationship with God through Jesus Christ can make the difference. No matter what is happening in your society, you can put all the pieces together and stay in control. In practical terms, what does the whole picture look like now?

Stay on Course

Focal Point 4. Know how to stay in control of all areas of your life.

We’ve covered many subjects since the beginning of this book. In a way, we’ve come full circle. What we’ve been talking about through all of it is a way of living and dealing with our problems that leads to real success. In these last two chapters, we’ve examined the resources we need. Let’s take a backward look now from our present vantage point. How do these resources keep us on course day by day?

Chapter 1. We began with a survey of today’s society, identifying major points of stress in the economy, law and government, the family, education, and religion. We pointed out the dislocation caused by rapid social change. We discussed the shift away from the traditional values that used to provide a stable foundation for most Western nations . Then we saw that both of these factors together have caused deep cracks and fissures in the whole structure of society. We concluded by examining our own reactions to what is taking place around us.

Chapter 2. In these pages, we identified three basic kinds of economic problems that people are facing today: unemployment, financial manipulation, and materialism. Then we outlined specific strategies for dealing with these problems. These strategies are given in the Bible. Underneath them is this one important fact: God knows your needs and has promised to supply them. Your true worth comes from your relationship with Him, not from your position — or lack of it — in society. Your trust in Him is what sets you free from an obsessive concern with financial security. As a result, you can face any situation with confidence and invest your life in a way that brings genuine, long-term profits.

Chapter 3. Our next topic was the family. We examined reasons why people in today’s society often find it difficult to relate to each other successfully as husbands, wives, parents, and children. Then we explored some effective ways of improving these relationships. These principles are based on values taught in the Bible. Central to them is this foundational truth: families are God’s idea. He designed marriage and parenthood for your benefit, and He is the author of love. You can count on His help when dealing with family problems. Personal qualities that will make all of your relationships meaningful and satisfying — honesty, commitment, respect, and unselfishness — become part of your character as you allow Him to work in your life.

Chapter 4. We moved on then to education — both formal and informal. We saw how people can become victims of deception, and we considered conflicts that can arise between students, parents, and teachers. Then we looked at constructive ways of responding to those who try to influence us and our families. The strategies in this chapter also come from the Bible. They stem from this premise: God is the source of all truth. The more you align yourself with His plan for you, the less susceptible you will be to manipulation by others. This plan includes your children. God gives parents the primary responsibility for the moral and spiritual education of their sons and daughters. As you accept this important task, He will help you guide them into maturity.

Chapter 5. In this chapter, we explored the ways people try to find meaning in life. We discovered that the answer to this missing dimension is not a religion but a relationship — a personal relationship with a personal God. We identified the barrier that separates us from this God. Then we showed how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, removed it. We told what the Bible says about why Jesus came to earth and what He did to bring us back to God. As you became aware of all these things, you were faced with the need to respond. You were invited to admit your true condition and accept God’s solution. If you did, a miracle happened to you! You passed from death to life. By believing in Jesus Christ, you were united with Him and brought into God’s family. Your relationship with God now makes the difference. His power for you, in you, and through you is beyond anything you can imagine. Because He loves you, your life has meaning and purpose.

Chapter 6. In this last chapter, we have explored some of the benefits that we receive because we belong to God. These benefits touch every area of our lives both now and in the future. Because of them, we have resources to solve all our problems. We have seen that accepting Jesus Christ ties us both to God as His children and to each other as brothers and sisters. This is true Christianity. Do you remember interaction 3 in Chapter 5? That survey listed seven things that many religions promise to do. Authentic Christianity, lived and practised as the Bible explains it, actually delivers on all these promises. It is God’s total answer to your needs, your longings, and your ambitions.

Exercise 5: Compose Your Personal Dictionary

Has your thinking changed by reading this book? The following sentences mention the major topics we have discussed. Compare your ideas by answering both questions— what you would have said then, and what you would say now.

Understanding the problems in society—what are the basic causes?

My answer then. ………………………………………………………………….