Last week we discussed seeking to look at the turbulence of this world from a different perspective, a faith perspective. Today we will briefly explore some other helpful strategies for facing uncertainty in an unstable world and even in our unstable lives. Here are just a few such “things.”

1. GOD. We turn to God because He doesn’t turn, neither is there a mere shadow of change in Him (see James 1:17). God is who He is and who He will be. He is the essence of stability. He is our rock and He is the rock. It is “in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). When we cling to Him we find a measure of peace and stability even in the face of great turmoil and difficulty. When we cling to Him, we can’t be washed down stream because He simply does not move. God will not let you down.
2. LOVE. Love never ends and it endures forever (see 1 Cor. 13:7-8). Love is vital to every relationship we have and is a part of the solution for every problem we encounter. As Paul says, “Let all that you do be done in love” (see 1 Cor. 16:14). When the seas around you rage, don’t give up on the kind of unselfish, sacrificial, enduring love that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
3. THE WORD. Peter, quoting from Psalms 40, describes our lives as fading, but the word of the Lord is enduring (see 1 Peter 1:23-25). At first that may not sound encouraging, but the words of the Lord, as Peter confesses, are “the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68). Though the outer man is perishing, the inward man can be continually renewed (see 2 Cor. 4:16). God’s Word is seed that doesn’t merely provide life in the here and now, but gives birth to eternal life. This assurance of hope (see Heb. 11:1) provides a solid basis for our lives, an anchor of the soul (see Heb. 6:19).
4. DOING THE WILL OF GOD. The wise man builds his house on the rock (see Mt. 7:24-27). We may think of the children’s song that is commonly sung at VBS, but this is not merely a concept for children! Building our lives on a solid foundation involves being sure to be doers of His will, so that we can remain strong through the turbulence of life. The storms will come! Never stop giving yourself to the Lord and His service. Practice the attitudes and the righteousness of the kingdom that God sets forth in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7). Surely Jesus had these things in mind as He concludes the sermon in chapter 7. Not only will that please God to “be a doer of the word” (James 1:22), but the very things set forth there, like humility, being a peacemaker, keeping anger in check, naturally lead to stability in life.

The nations will rage (see Ps. 46), life is fragile (James 4:14), and difficulties will come (James 1:2), so hold to things which cannot be shaken. Always focus on God, love, the Word, and doing the will of God, and you can find greater stability in an unstable world.

Daren Schroeder