MAX ON LIFE

53. What if the global temperature rises a few more degrees? What if a terrorist gets on the airplane I'm on? What if things only get worse in the world? How do I keep all this bad news in perspective?

Paradise is not promised until Jesus returns. Peace, joy and the absence of pain are promises of the future, not the present. Sin is still epidemic. But the cure is coming.
Remember that Christ predicted the bad news. Christ forewarned us about spiritual bailouts, ecological turmoil, and worldwide persecution. He told us things are going to get bad, really bad, before they get better. And when conditions worsen, "See to it that you are not alarmed" (Matt 24L6). Jesus chose a stout term for alarmed that he used on no other occasion. It means "to wail, to cry aloud", as if Jesus counseled the disciples, "Don't freak out when bad stuff happens".
The only time we should get scared is when something surprises God. If something takes God by surprise, we are doomed. Since God knows all things, we are comforted.
If Christ can predict the problem he can solve it. The same God who has the power of omniscience (knowing everything at every time) also has the power of omnipresence (being multipresent) and omnipotence (having all power). That trinitarian trifecta is unstoppable. All problems are too small in the shadow of God.
Take comfort; it's the beginning of the end and the beginning of the new beginning. In Matthew 24:8, Jesus called these challenges birth pangs. Birth pangs must occur before a new birth. During this time the mother keeps focused on the end result, the moment she gets to hold that beautiful baby in her arms. She knows birth pangs don't last forever and they signal a new beginning in her life. Calamities and catastrophes are the earthly pains that must occur before the birth of the new world. Hold on. Grit your teeth. The next push could be the last.

By: Max Lucado