Hope in the Midst of Turmoil
We need a perspective that helps us navigate life’s difficulties.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:22
Savings and retirement accounts are disappearing. The prices of common goods have risen so much that many people can’t earn enough to save at all. Global political stability is shaking more than usual. As always, these things are worse for the already vulnerable. Fear and discontentment feel like the common denominators in this moment.
How do we live faithfully amidst all the upheaval?
If you are anything like me, you have more questions than answers right now. For example, I have been wrestling with the following questions:
Is there a mature way, one not rooted in denial, to fix our gaze not on what is seen, but on what is unseen…to know that what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)?
Is there hope for the world, for our families, and for us that is not naïve or feigned?
How do we live in this time of new turbulence and loss, all while trying to participate in God's Kingdom work of regaining-what-has-been-lost?
Psalm 33 offers three hopeful perspectives.
Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising. For God’s Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out. He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line true. Earth is drenched in God’s affectionate satisfaction.
Psalm 33:1, 4-5, MSG
The Psalm begins with a call to worship, encouraging us to sing our respect for God's power, to revere his sovereignty, and to celebrate creation. It inspires trust in God especially when news feels overwhelming, and it emphasizes the importance of praising God for his being and for what he does despite our circumstances.
The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Psalm 33:10-11, NIV
The Psalm teaches us that mature hope arises from a life awash in this worldview: God’s plans endure while he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
We do not have to, nor should we, explain God’s plans. We do not know God’s plans, but we also do not have to worry because God sees what is going on in our world. His plans are not frustrated. That does not mean our lives are not frustrating, but it does mean we can rest in the fact that the counsel of the LORD stands forever.
Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together.
Psalm 33:18-19
The Psalm gives assurance that God sees those who are looking for the hope of his unfailing love–especially in rough circumstances. The next time a news story scares you, envision as clearly as you can God’s eyes lovingly gazing upon you. I’ll bet you can predict the effect it will have on your soul. He does not just see us; he rescues us from death. Because we are seen, we are saved.
And yet…
As I approach retirement and see what is happening to investments, and hear fears about Social Security, I feel an old fear stirring in the dusty attic of my soul. I feel insecure. I feel dumb and wish I was better prepared. Will I have to work in retirement?
It is in these moments that our faith is shown to either be alive and livable or withering (Luke 8:6,13).
When insecurity or panic sets in, Psalm 33 keeps me centered. It pulls me back from the brink. Its gentle, firm embrace keeps my arms and hands from flailing. The Psalm brings me back to the verbs of God who–
Speaks truth
Works in faithfulness
Loves
Foils
Thwarts
Stands firm
Enacts his purposes
Faith in God’s verbs is the basis for shifting my adjectives—
From fearful to calm
From insecure to confident
From despairing to hopeful
I find a solid place to rest my soul in the intentions and actions of God: His determination to use his power for my—and your—good.
In the midst of the turmoil today, let us pray together:
Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
Even as we hope in you.
Psalm 33:22