There was a time when we lived with eternity in mind. When life had meaning beyond the present, choices carried weight, and faith shaped how we lived. But there has been a shift and this life has become all there is.
Comfort, safety, and control seems to have replaced faith, and fear has become the guiding force to all of our decisions. The world has become obsessed with preserving what people have, rather than repairing for what’s ahead.
Just a few years ago Covid shattered our illusion of control. Fear took over, and people surrendered not just their freedoms, but their need for self-sufficiency. People obeyed, not because they trusted, but because they were afraid. Fear told them safety was the highest priority, that security was worth the cost. We were told it was for our good, but was it?
People convinced themselves that if they could predict, control, and minimize risk, then they could eliminate uncertainty. But were we really in control.
It’s really no surprise that our fears dictate our decisions, and then we become prisoners of a false sense of security. We lock ourselves in cages built by our own anxiety.
A lot has happened since then. The illusion is cracking. People are waking up. The systems that were built on fear are being exposed. We have begun to see how easily we were tricked, and how fear dictated our choices, and how we traded truth for security. When people thought they were protecting themselves, they were handing over control.
Do we continue chasing the illusion or do we reject all authority, grasping at things with no foundation? Or do we surrender-not to fear, because fear was a lie. The question remains whether we were ever really in control.
Fear is a potent tool used by the government and media outlets to influence behavior. This manipulation is often referred to as “fearmongering,” It involves exaggerating potential threats or negative outcomes to sway people’s decisions and actions, sometimes even overriding rational judgment. The illusion of control is another tactic that suggests a sense of order and predictability that was shattered by the covid “pandemic, leading to a reliance on narratives that shape our understanding of the world.
But we can combat this fear-based manipulation. We need to understand that loss is a natural part of life and is not something to be feared. If you had read the Bible you may know that we can make choices to whether or end up in heaven or hell.
We must quantify threats. By assessing the likelihood of a threat we can respond before reacting to fear. We can seek reliable information. Avoid relying solely on media-fed conclusions and seek diverse perspectives.
Another way to combat fear-based manipulation is to resist the herd. Recognize the bandwagon effect and be willing to question everything. What is your “gut” saying to you?
We all have critical thinking skills to evaluate information. Think for yourself. Don’t trust what someone is saying or telling you. Challenge everything -challenge manipulation.
Many times we prioritize human-led solutions to problems and potentially overlook how God’s willingness to play a role in our lives.
Even when life seems confusing or scary it’s important to remember that God is wiser and more capable than we are at navigating our complexities.
Trusting God is an active choice and it’s something that can be cultivated even when we face difficult times.
From Pity to Praise 