Letter to the editor: Being anxious isn't a problem if you have a reservoir of peace

I am anxious about the ongoing crisis in the Middle East with Iran and Hamas. I am anxious about the true nature of our economy with massive growth across many sectors and massive debt contributing to extreme volatility. I am anxious about the loss of commitment to Western Civilization while touting the greatness of Globalism. I am anxious about the generational divide that is accelerating due to the politics of envy and the simple fact of generational differences that are magnified beyond reason. I am anxious for the status of education which seems wedded to the current moment and has lost an appreciation for history and philosophy. I could go on.

But I sleep well at night generally. I enjoy being outdoors fishing, or golfing, or whatever. I deeply appreciate what having a family means. Being with others is fun and rewarding. And the fellowship implicit in church activities is inspiring and comforting.

How, then, do I balance this anxiety with peace? The answer is simple: Neither peace nor anxiety in this life is total. We move in both realms. We do, however, have to choose which will be dominant. For this to happen, there must be an overriding nature to one or the other. We cannot live very well if we do not understand that anxiety will happen and that peace will happen as well. But if we choose peace as dominant, it will dominate.

In the New Testament, it is recorded that Jesus said, " My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you." I suppose that that is the best summary I could find to describe one's ability to live in peace even while surrounded by anxiety-producing events. Such peace is obviously a gift. It clearly is not something we get in counseling or out of some kind of exercise. It is quite real, however, and to know it is a blessing beyond logic or reasoning.

Clearly, we are not the first generation to live in difficult times. Currently I am finishing a splendid biography of Lincoln. In it, one sees a man dealing with the events prior to and during the American Civil War. It truly is a miracle of no small proportion that we survived as a nation this catastrophe. Yet during this time, myriad folks lived with anxiety and peace at the same time. In fact, part of the story of those years included spiritual awakenings in both the North and the South.

We need this same kind of awakening to sweep our churches and synagogues today. We desperately need to return to our roots of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We can do this if we will scuttle the despair and believe that being anxious is no problem if we have a reservoir of peace. Seek that peace. I believe you will find it!

JAMES R. CHANDLER JR.

Sumter