Fear of Fireworks

Right now, as the Fourth of July fireworks are going off, pets all over America are frightened of the loud noises and explosions they're hearing, yet they don't bother me at all. Part of the reason I'm not worried is that I know that the explosions are mostly harmless. The explosives are all decorative and not likely to cause any real damage. Additionally, I'm sure that, even if a rogue firework landed on my roof, my house will provide adequate protection that I will not physically get hurt. I also trust that, if any damage is caused, our emergency response teams will be able to provide aid quickly, and solve most of the problems that the fireworks may cause.

In our everyday lives, there are other other situations that may or may not cause distress, depending on our perspectives. Many of the troubling trials of life are significantly less frightening when considered from an eternal perspective. Illnesses and injuries, even chronic and/or disabling ones, are all only temporary. They are physical problems, not spiritual problems, and all physical problems will be solved in the Lord's own time. Many of the spiritual problems, the ones we actually do need to watch out for, can be prevented with adequate defensive measures. Just as a house can shield its occupants from rogue fireworks, faithful living can keep individuals out of tempting situations. Regular prayer and scripture study can form a barrier that makes it easier to repel evil thoughts. And if, despite all our efforts, a spiritual problem actually does develop, we can deal with the problem through the repentance process.

Life can be intimidating, but in the eternal scheme of things, many of the things we worry about are less problematic than they seem. All trials are temporary. Often, it is only our bodies at risk, not our spirits. And even if we do run into spiritual trouble, there is always a way to get out of it through repentance and righteous living. Worrisome events occur frequently, but we don't need to be distressed. Believe it or not, this is all part of God's plan, and God has everything under control. As long as we are trying to be good, everything is going to be okay. It's all going to work out. Life may, sometimes, be frightening, but we don't need to be afraid. Many of the problems of life are just fireworks. They may be startling, and they can certainly be irritating, but they're not going to cause us any permanent harm, so we really have nothing to fear.