Our God is almighty and omnipotent. He created a vast universe with natural and physical laws, but there’s nothing stopping Him from contravening those rules to serve His own purposes. Nevertheless, just because God can do something does not mean He will. Even a cursory look through history shows that God often lets human beings face the consequences of our own decisions.
Though not a direct quotation of Scripture, the Serenity Prayer is something I tend to think about a lot. Originally written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, the prayer reminds us to know the difference between the things we can change and the things we cannot:
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.
When the storms of life toss us and turn us and threaten our lives and prosperity, we should turn to God for help. Sometimes God, in His omnipotence, calms the storms, but often He calms our hearts, giving us the strength to carry on through adversity. Just because His answer to our prayer does not match our expectations doesn’t mean He’s not sovereign.
The disciples of Jesus Christ expected Him to throw off the Roman Empire and make Israel a sovereign state once again. His mission was not so provincial; He had come to save mankind rather than simply redraw political borders. Keep that in mind as we look for God’s guidance and help with regards to the political battles ahead. What seems of utmost importance to us might not be what God has in mind.
There are certain things about this world that we simply cannot change without miraculous Providence. None of us have the power to snap our fingers and undo a century of the growth of government bureaucracy overnight. That doesn’t mean we should give up on the endeavor, rather we must be smart, strategic, and most of all, patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will we make America (or Idaho) great again overnight. Thinking otherwise can cause us to waste time and energy that could be better served elsewhere.
On the other hand, we should never discount Providence. Our Founding Fathers faced improbable odds when they set themselves on the course of rebellion against one of the great empires of world history. They pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, and were blessed with victory in the end.
You should strike when the iron is hot, which means being ready to take opportunities that God places before us. How many people argued against Idaho’s trigger bill and heartbeat bill to ban abortion, saying they wouldn’t matter because Roe v. Wade would never be overturned? Suddenly, it was. Providence gave the people of Idaho a chance to save unborn lives, and thankfully our lawmakers capitalized on it.
What we all need, whether in our roles as citizens, voters, or lawmakers, is courage tempered by wisdom. We require serenity to accept the world as it is, the courage to take advantage of opportunities to change what we can, and the wisdom to know where and how to devote our finite resources.
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV
About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
