Don't worry? Be happy? Are you serious?

II Corinthians states "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." This is going to sound really basic, because it is really basic, but we really have to learn to just trust that the Lord Jesus, who is able to save us to the uttermost, will meet every need and will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear. This is all the more important in this age when everything that can be shaken will be shaken, to just trust the Lord regrdless of wars, famines, climate changes, pestilence, an emerging police state, societal collapse, or anything that may come at you from sources unexpected. We live in perilous times indeed but we cannot take our eyes off the Lord and start obsessing about the storm. It's a huge storm to be sure; don't worry about it. If there's one thing that we need to stop doing is concerning ourselves with the little stuff and the storm is in the "little stuff" catagory (regardless of what kind of a storm you may find yourself in.) We're going to have tribulation and we're going to be pressed out of measure at times. These things will try you; to find out "what you're made of" so to speak, and they should cause you to draw closer to the Lord. I remember two stories that came out of the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. One (I heard this secondhand) was about a lady being rescued from her home in New Orleans. A reporter asked her "what are you going to do now?" Her reply was "I've got Jesus; everything is going to be alright." That is indeed true and I believe that she was serious. That joy of the Lord; that contentment that you have when you get it settled in your heart that this world is not your home. Another story, the report of which I saw firsthand involved a lady who had lost her restaurant and while I don't know if she was a christian her attitude was interesting. Again, a reporter asked her that typical reporter question "What will you do now?" The lady replied "well, we lost the business, we lost our home, we've lost everything that we've been working so hard for; I'm going fishing!" This lady wasn't worried and seemed completly content. Paul stated in Philippians that he had learned that in whatsoever state he was in he was content. When you truly have your affections on the Lord and the world to come (you know, the one that will abide forever) things down here won't get to you. You'll have them in perspective. I work at a job, the likes of which our country doesn't create anymore and the ones that are still here are gradually going to China, Mexico and South America. It pays well, but, it's a chariot of Egypt and will eventually fail. (Aren't I a negative sounding guy; especially at 5:15 am after spending twelve hours in that chariot of Egypt.) It's so simple and yet we all struggle to one degree or another to get it into our heart. I like the book of Job as his attitude during his entire ordeal was steadfast. He stated in Job 13:15 "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." Steadfast no matter what. And if he slays you "absent from the body present with the Lord." We have all of eternity ahead of us. While we're here we're to love the Lord Jesus wholeheartedy, trust him completly, and follow him unconditionally. Regardless of the situation that you're in; he'll never leave you nor forsake you. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.