Instead of stressing, think about the hope God gives you

Everywhere there is a unified call of frustration at the price of a gallon of gas. I am equally sure in 1980 everyone said the same thing as it was the first-year gas went over $1.

In 1929, 21 cents was the first national average price of a gallon of gas ever recorded. Unbelievably the price of a gallon of gas kept dropping until 1947 when it “shot” up to 23 cents.

Based on an average price of $4.50 (less than the national average) that is a 2,042% increase from 1929.

What this tells us is times have certainly changed. It is not a secret that the inflation and gas prices have caused lots of stress and finger pointing. Although I will save the political discussion for those who write on it, let’s deal with how to beat the stress in our lives.

The book of Lamentations deals with Jeremiah watching his beloved country being destroyed. Constantly his community and family were being captured and taken away or killed. The area he was in was being ransacked by an enemy army.

He wrote Lamentations 3:21-24, and it can be used every day to beat the temptation to stress. “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.”

He chose to remember something that gave him hope. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”

No matter how bad life was in front of him, he knew his future was with God’s compassions. “They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Jeremiah looked to the new day for God’s faithfulness. As mentioned, everything he could hope on this earth was failing or destroyed. He saw that each day, God would still show up anew.

“The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”

A portion is your part of something (piece of pie, portion of meant etc.). Jeremiah had made God his substance, peace, and blessing in this life. His piece was not tied to what was being taken away, but what could not be taken away (his relationship with God). His one goal was to experience God and that meant no matter what he was going through he would be hopeful.

This week instead of stressing, choose to think about the hope God gives you.

This Sunday at First Baptist Church at 6 p.m.- Revelation Bible Study continues. (1101 N. Main St.),

If you have a question you would like answered for future columns email mathewvroman@gmail.com

*gas stats taken from www.titlemax.com