Paranoia Replaces Faith in 21st Century

London, Oct 20: Faith and trust are a thing of the past, according to British scientists, who claim that the 21st century is the "age of paranoia."

After researching paranoia for over a decade Dr Daniel Freeman, a clinical psychologist from King's College London, conceded that levels of paranoia and mistrust are skyrocketing in today's date.

"These days, we daren't let our children play outside. We're suspicious of strangers. Security cameras are everywhere," The Telegraph quoted him as saying.

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4 Minute Devotions: How Long Will this Go On?

We all go through troubling times and sometimes we feel abandoned by God. During those moments of fear and despair, God is always with us, waiting for the right time to save and deliver us, comfort and embrace us.

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Psalm 13:2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

About two years ago, our wee church went through a time of turmoil that caused me a lot of worry and sleepless nights. The issue affected the well-being of the whole congregation and there seemed to be a heavy atmosphere of gloom and doom amongst us. Worship attendance declined and offerings went down. We lost a handful of members and found it tough to recruit new ones.

The trouble seemed to be never-ending and we couldn’t move forward for a while. All our plans were put on hold and we felt as though we were sliding back. It was a terrible time and most of my prayers included a “How long, O Lord” section in them each day.

But God is good and He works in wonderful ways. Instead of dividing the church, the incident caused us to depend more on God and each other. After two long years, our worship attendance is bigger than what is was before and our offerings are up by 20%. There’s a better atmosphere across the church and we’re spiritually healthier than we ever have been. It took a lot of hard work, wrestling, and patience, but God has worked wonders and empowered us to be more faithful. It has been a hard lesson to learn, but in the end, it is an extremely important one.

Some of the old psalms are about similar times and experiences. God’s faithful people are constantly being spiritually challenged and go through some seriously turbulent times. During those moments of unrest and unease, the people cry out to God for deliverance. They complain about their troubles and bemoan the fact that God does not appear to be doing anything to help them.

Yet in the end, God always shines through. His timing is different from our own, but His timing is always best. We may wrestle with our worries and be afflicted with our concerns; we may feel abandoned by God and outside of His grace; but more often as not, He delivers us; He rescues us; He saves us from despair. We may go through a “how long” experience, and then discover that God is with us every second, every hour, and every day of our troubles. We may let go of Him at times, but God never lets go of us.

Prayer: Lord God, there are times in our lives when we feel impatient, insecure, and anxious. We feel isolated and vulnerable, abandoned and alone. Teach us to depend upon You in ways that will make us better comprehend Your ways. Grant us faith to overcome fear and strength to defeat our sorrow. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

No One Cares

I was there in the kitchen when Annette’s mom took a massive stroke. One moment, she was laughing and smiling; the next, she had a strange look on her face and her eyes seemed out of control. It couldn’t have happened at a worse time. It was during Annette’s 10th birthday party, when everyone was supposed to be happy and joyful. I remember that within minutes all the kids at the party were ushered upstairs out of the way. We soon heard the sirens of the paramedics, and then about half an hour later, we were all sent home.

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For the next seven days, we all prayed for Annette and her mother. And then came the news that Annette’s mom had died. It was the very first time that death had ever touched our generation.

Annette changed after the funeral. Before, she had been a happy person with beautiful sparkling green eyes that I still remember to this day. She became quiet and withdrawn, and those lovely eyes looked hollow and lifeless. None of us knew what to do or say. We were too young to understand and too helpless to reach out.

Bible verse for today
Psalm 142:4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

Annette drifted for a while and grief struck her very hard. I guess she must have thought that no one cared for her life, or that no one was concerned for her. I cannot imagine what she endured during her teenage years, and I’m sure that she still dreads each year when her birthday comes around. Wherever she is today, I hope and pray that she has found the love that she lost, and that her bonnie emerald eyes sparkle with joy again.

There are times in each of our lives when we feel isolated and alone, insecure and vulnerable. During those painful and petrifying moments, God holds on to us, especially when we begin to lose our grip of Him. No matter what we endure or experience, God is there to love and support us, just waiting to guide and embrace us when we are ready to receive Him again.

Prayer: Lord God, today we pray for lonely hearts and sad eyes. We prayerfully ask that You touch those whose lives are wounded by loss and grief. Surround them with people who care, and concerned friends. Help them in the midst of their fears and foes, their despair and depression. In Your Holy Name, we sincerely pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the Scottish pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

If you would like to comment on this message, he would love to hear from you. Just email John at pastor@erinpresbyterian.org