During these times of instability and unc+ertainty both in our country and throughout the world, it is easy to become concerned about our future. In fact, if you are a Pollyanna who is not concerned about the future, then your head is probably in the sand dunes of Egypt and you are not being realistic in your thinking.
But these are unstable times. There is constantly a threat to our way of life and the peace to which we have become accustomed. Whether it be man-made or by nature, ranging from the international conflicts (pick any two countries- Russia and Ukraine, China and Taiwan, North Korea and South Korea, Israel and Palestine… etc.) and the tensions within our own nation, to the increase of solar flares and abundance of hurricanes/floods/tornadoes/droughts, there are more than enough situations to cause worry.
Watching/reading/ listening to the news can keep us informed, but it can also cause us to be overwhelmed with anxiety and fear. Hearing about the skyrocketing rates of murders and other felonious crimes, as well as the pending economic collapse and the disappearance of our pensions and double-digit inflation hitting almost every area of our lives, can fill us with a deep sense of dread.
To combat this sense of dread, some would just advise us to stop listening to the news altogether. Some would counsel us to disregard the news because there is nothing we can do about it anyway. And although they are generally correct in regards to world and state news, we can often have a positive effect on our local situations- the ones we find out about on the local news.
Others would try to convince us that the situation is not as bad as we believe it to be. I always wonder what news these people are listening to, because it IS bad and it seems to only be getting worse by the day.
What are we to do? It is my opinion that a good citizen should be aware of the circumstances affecting our lives, so turning off the news completely is not good guidance IMHO.
We need to find a compromise- something between worrying after watching the news on one end and being ignorant and oblivious from not being informed on the other end. I have listed some recommendations below that will help you to be informed without becoming overwhelmed.
Some of the ones I prefer are listed below (In no specific order):
Perhaps in the readers’ snippets on Wednesday, you can share some of your favorite news sources.
So choose your news sources wisely.
As a follower of Jesus, I memorize verses from the Holy Bible. There are some specific scriptures that can turn your anxious heart and thoughts around and help you readjust your attitude. Here are some of my favorites:
Let’s review…
Hopefully, these suggestions will help you control your anxious thoughts concerning these uncertain and tumultuous times we live in.
Oct 17