Under New Management

Psalm 24

“The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (v.1)

There are times when I am stirred by the recent reports from mainstream news that I follow. I find that it can be so easy to allow concerns about our nation and how far left our political direction is pushed by the current leadership. We can get so caught up in how the country is mismanaged that we begin to grow anxious & begin to feel powerless in the process. But even this chaotic time can teach us something about anxious thoughts.

Anxiety often arises when we feel compelled to control matters that are beyond our reach. This mindset sets us up for failure and tends to stir a sense of powerlessness in our situation. But there is a way to realign our thinking that can restore a sense of balance. Sometimes it is best to imagine yourself sitting at a table in a restaurant. The plate, the silverware,

and the glass in front of you is within your reach. These things are in your hands to handle as you wish. But as you are sitting at that table, you can not practically reach the other places in the restaurant. You can not even handle the items in front of other customers unless you rise from your own seat and move away from the table which was offered for you to sit. In a similar way, you can not change the thoughts or opinions of others. You can not dictate to your neighbour what he ought to choose from the menu. Neither can they determine what you will think or choose from the menu. To believe otherwise is to introduce powerlessness for the control you do not have and neither was provided to you. Sure, you can still assume that other items beyond your reach lies without your control. But such beliefs diminishes your true influence and will only stir frustration for the control you do not really have. This example is helpful when you consider what is in your power to control.

Anxiety occurs when we believe we can “change the things that are not

within our reach”. However, in this restaurant, as in this world, we know the owner. It is best for our own peace that we remember that we have our place assigned for our seating and we are free to use the entrusted items purposed within our reach. It can ease our mind to remember that even when we do not see the owner standing near our table, we can be confident that he has everything else we can not reach well within his control and he knows how to handle those concerns which were not intended for us to reach. So, let us recline and handle our own items which were provided for us to use. Let us learn to trust the ownership and enjoy our own meal.

BON APPÉTIT, my friends.