The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon.

“Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens, although the nations are terrified by them.”

—Jeremiah 10:2

Our world has its ways of handling things, but we shouldn’t look to it to learn how to respond when difficult times come.

Our culture has become increasingly fearful, and the voices in the world seem to thrive on shouting that fear out louder and stronger. So much of what we see sensationalizes all the things we could be afraid of to keep us hooked on knowing all the dreadful details, afraid to look away lest we miss something.

We shouldn’t fear the things the world fears or respond the way culture influences us to—with distress, doomsaying, anger, hatred, fearmongering, or selfish stockpiling.

So how do we respond?

We love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).

We know that the Lord will sustain us even when there is much to be anxious about; he is our comfort (Psalm 94:18–19).

We thank him for all the ways he has come through for us in the past so we don’t forget his everlasting faithfulness (Psalm 136).

We remind ourselves that what we can see with our eyes is not the whole story; he is always there upholding and defending us (Psalm 37:17; 2 Kings 6:16; Exodus 14:14).

We remember that death and sorrow are not our end. He is making all things new (1 Corinthians 15:54–55; Revelations 21:4–5), and all who follow him have an inheritance reserved in heaven which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away (1 Peter 1:4).

We don’t have to be dismayed when things in this world are dark, for Christ has already overcome the world (John 16:33).

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