46

Like many people, the recent economic turmoil has me anxious. I'm not afraid of losing everything because I don't have anything to lose--no investments, no home, etc. My only debt is on the credit card, and the amount is significantly less than the average American household's debt. But I'm terrified at the prospect of going through another Great Depression. I'm not afraid of many things, but that is one of them. A lot of that fear stems from a consistent theme in my life of unemployment and the inability to get the job. For whatever reason, I just don't get the job. It's a miracle that I have a job now! So, now that I have a family to feed, this fear has been elevated from frustration to HOLY CRAP WE'RE ALL GOING TO STARVE TO DEATH!!!

I woke up this morning thinking about the economy. I wanted someone to blame for all this, as if that would make it go away. But that's just politics. So I resigned myself to pray for the leaders of this country, which, to my shame, is something that I haven't done very often. But that resolution didn't ease the fear in my heart.

I've been reading through the Psalms lately, and yesterday I stopped reading after 45. That means that, when I came into work this morning, I opened my Bible to Psalm 46.

God is our refuge and strength,

   an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

   and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

   the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;

   God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;

   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see the works of the Lord,

   the desolations he has brought on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;

   he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,

   he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God;

   I will be exalted among the nations,

   I will be exalted in the earth."

The Lord Almighty is with us;

   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

God is our refuge. God is our strength. God is present. God is with us. Therefore, we will not fear.