Just now in our nation, it is difficult but important to think about how we worry about tomorrow, how we give in to feeling down, discouraged, and hopeless.

Recall what we call the First Commandment I am the Lord, your God which clearly tells us that  Almighty God has chosen to have an intimate relationship with us and to make us His people. (Exodus ch.20).

And then note that God gives a nod to what He has already done for this people: who brought you out of the land of Egypt, which means out of slavery and misery and granted to us that we can trust God to keep helping us intimately.

This is all quite pertinent to where we are right now, when we readily go into desolation because of how our lives are being impacted by doings at the national level. We know that Jesus told us not to worry about my life, not worry about tomorrow, not to be afraid.  Yet, we give in to all of those.

So, first:  It will be helpful to acknowledge that you are not obeying Jesus. And it will be helpful to name this sin.

And it will be good to recognize that giving in to darkness of mind, disquiet of heart, and slothfulness—and accepting all of those without turning to the Holy Spirit of God and begging for the gifts of peace and quiet, decisiveness and acts of goodness – this is itself, a failure to trust God and Jesus. And this offends God who cares infinitely about how we are dong, who has loved us forever and loves us to this very minute. It is wise to think of this as sin, too.

So the first thing is to repent of this sin. This means that I admit to myself that I have failed in this. Then, have admitted to myself that I am sinning, turn to the all-merciful, kind God and tell Him—who already knows but wants to know you are knowing it, yourself.  Make sure God knows that you are sorry.

Add to God that you hope to get out of this now, if only God’s Holy Spirit will show you the next good thing to do – which may have nothing to do with any of this, but might be about praying with someone else, or reaching out to your parish somehow, or doing a favor that you know you could do for someone. But the First Commandment directs you to open your heart to God’s Holy Spirit, who will fill you with the joy that filled your Savior Jesus before you.