Living in the New Year

What a start to 2026. The news is loud with traumatic events. Though a new year promises a clean slate, so far this year seems a repeat of the year before. Even though we are being told violence is down, the photo and audio evidence would beg to differ. Both sides of the political world hurl violent words at each other, name calling and angry words that arouse anger in their followers. That anger shows itself in violent action. We have a federal officer shooting a woman in her car, and protesters of that action jumping on other cars, breaking windows and threatening other officers not involved in that shooting. Two wrongs don’t make a right. It only increases the violent reactions, such as tear gassing, throwing down and arresting peaceful protesters. And that over just one incident of violence in our country. On top of all that our current administration's promise of military action against sovereign nations doesn’t help to calm anyone.

So what do we do in the face of all this? What should I do? When I talk with my friends I hear and see a dark cloud of anger and depression settling down upon us. I can feel anxiety and fear in them, and it fans the flames of my own. We were out to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant last night, and I sat there wondering about the safety of the staff and Spanish speaking guests that surrounded me. I’ve talked with legal immigrants, naturalized citizens, who fear for their safety. In this type of insanity I find it hard to find anything positive.

In my pastor’s sermon yesterday he spoke on Philippians 4 “be anxious for nothing” passage. He doesn’t believe anxiety is a sin; it’s a pretty normal reaction to life. He does believe it’s a sign. When we are anxious we should see the red flag. In the words just prior to “be anxious for nothing” we read “the Lord is near.”  God is with us, beside us, walking through this mess of life. He is the Creator of the Universe. He never loses control of what He’s created. Our anxiety springs out of feeling life has gone amok. We feel out of control because we are, and we were never meant to be in control.  God has control, even over the crazy mess our country finds itself in today. When I feel anxious, I need to ask “what can I do about it?”  Most times the answer is little or nothing. God, on the other hand, can do everything. Why not do what we can do and trust Him with the rest?

I’ve been reading through the Psalms again. This read-through I am keeping track of some key words that play into remembering Who God is and that He has not lost control. The psalmists refer to God as our Rock, Strength, Shield, Fortress, Refugee, Deliverer, Stronghold, Salvation and Help. These titles are mentioned again and again in the Psalms. When I am anxious about my life, my world, to whom should I turn? Myself? Or my Rock?

As we face the uncertainties of the new year, I encourage you to read some Psalms. Many of them begin with the writer calling out to God, feeling unheard and alone. Then, in the middle of the psalm, the writer begins counting their blessings (or remembering God’s work in times past). God has at times intervened and changed the circumstances for the psalmist, but in other times has just held the writer until the circumstances passed. In all situations, God was faithful.

Psalms 9:7 “The Lord reigns forever, he has established his throne for judgment.”

But sometimes it doesn’t feel like God is in control. Psalms 10:2-6 “In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God….He says to himself, ‘nothing will ever shake me.’ He swears, ‘no one will ever do me harm.’

Then the Psalmist turns from the wicked seeming to always win, and focuses again on God (Psalms 10:14, 17-18) “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless…You Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.”

There is the key, this is what our anxiety and pent up emotions should remind us of – what troubles us comes from “mere earthly mortals” – human beings. We have the Creator of the Universe by our side. Can we trust Him with our life and our world? Can we trust that He knows what is going on with our current circumstances – both personal and as citizens? Can we count on His faithfulness even when the circumstances don’t change like we’d like them to?

The next phrase in Philippians 4 after “be anxious for nothing” tells us to pray for everything. Prayer is one thing we can do. We can pray for our country, our neighbors, our family, ourselves. And we are told that from our prayers God will deliver His peace, taking care of our anxiety by reminding us He is here, with us, holding us in the midst of the storm.

“The Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.” (Psalms 6:8b, 9)

I can’t do a lot to stem the tide of all that happens around me. I can pray. I can show kindness and care to the weary people around me. I can, like the Psalmists, remind myself and others that God is right here with us. He has not lost control. He may not work the circumstances the way I might like to see, but I can trust that whatever He chooses to do will be just and fair. God is faithful. He is beside us, near. Let our anxiety warn us that we are not in control, He is. Let us pray for our leaders, our country, the oppressed and downtrodden, the grieving and the sick. Let us live our lives as God would have us live- following in Jesus' steps.