“Life is ten percent what you experience and ninety percent how you respond to it.”
~ Dorothy M. Neddermeyer
People panic for all sorts of reasons. It may be after hearing about having to face a catastrophic illness. It may be after seeing your favorite team in the throes of a defeat. It may be after seeing the stock market plunge in what is called a correction.
When people panic, they begin to lose their ability to think clearly. They make poor decisions based purely upon feeling rather than on anything intellectual. They contribute to other people’s panic as well. Panic is self-perpetuating.
Panic has no place in our lives, though. We have no reason to panic. God is in our midst and He has promised to take care of us.
If we panic, it might be because we have decided to go it on our own. Instead of relying upon God, we might have relied upon our own best laid plans. We know where that can lead though. Going through the world purely on our own is a recipe for disaster.
We need to react less and respond more. If something bad or frightening comes your way, do not react hysterically. Instead, ask God for help, guidance, and protection. When things go well in life, respond by giving God the thanks and praise that is His due. If we responded more to God’s love, we would react less to the stuff in life that often causes one to panic.
God or panic? We are going to have to go through things either way. We are going to face good times and bad times, exhilarating times and frightening times. Do we go with God or go with panic? The choice is ours.
FAITH ACTION: Are there things in your life that cause you undue concern? Ask the Lord to calm your heart so that you can face them confidently rather than fearfully.