When the World Shakes, but God Doesn’t

 

I’ve been spending some time in the book of Isaiah lately, and goodness, has it given me plenty to think about! Wars, political unrest, questionable leadership, nations in turmoil, people turning away from God. Sound familiar?

Sometimes I read the headlines, listen to what our leaders are saying, and wonder where in the world we’re headed. I love my country. I cherish the freedoms we’ve been given. And I think about the world my children and grandchildren will inherit.

And if I’m being perfectly truthful, sometimes it concerns me.

But then I open my Bible.

And there, tucked away in the pages of Isaiah, I find a beautiful reminder that God gave His people thousands of years ago.

“You are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.” — Isaiah 8:12–13 NASB 

Oh, how I needed that!

God wasn’t speaking to people living in peaceful times with wonderful leaders and absolutely nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite! Their world was shaking, their future was uncertain, and fear was knocking at every door.

Yet God reminded them where to place their trust.

Not in kings. Not in governments. Not in circumstances.

In Him.

And isn’t that still true today?

I can care deeply about what’s happening in our world without carrying the weight of it on my shoulders. I can stand firmly for what I believe without allowing fear, anger, or bitterness to take up residence in my heart.

I can love my country without forgetting that my greatest citizenship is in heaven.

And I can love people who believe differently than I do because Jesus calls me to do exactly that.

Here’s something else that struck me during my study.

When God asked Isaiah, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah answered, “Here am I. Send me!”

He didn’t wait for the political climate to improve. He didn’t wait for the world to settle down. He simply made himself available to God.

What a lesson for me!

Maybe instead of spending so much time wondering what tomorrow might bring, I need to spend a little more time asking what God wants me to do with today.

Love someone. Encourage someone. Pray for our leaders. Speak truth with kindness. Be a light in a world that desperately needs Jesus.

And then trust God with the rest.

Isaiah 26:3 gives us another beautiful promise:

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.” NASB

Perfect peace.

Not because the world is perfect.

Not because everything is going my way.

But because the One holding my life, my family, and my future is perfectly faithful.

So today I’m choosing to turn down the noise of the world and turn up the truth of God’s Word.

The headlines will change. Leaders will come and go. Nations will rise and fall.

But God? He remains the same.

And that is where I’m resting my heart today.

Perhaps you need that reminder too.

The world may be shaking, but our God isn’t.

And we can rest in that.

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” — Psalm 46:1–2 NASB

                                  Christine