Articles
The Value of Faith
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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7)
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psa. 4:8)
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In a recent article in Scientific American, Harvard professor David Rosmarin reported an intriguing trend in mental health during the recent pandemic. He noted,
“In the past year, American mental health sank to the lowest point in history: Incidence of mental disorders increased by 50 percent, compared with before the pandemic, alcohol and other substance abuse surged, and young adults were more than twice as likely to seriously consider suicide than they were in 2018. Yet the only group to see improvements in mental health during the past year were those who attended religious services at least weekly (virtually or in-person): 46 percent report 'excellent' mental health today versus 42 percent one year ago.”
So after being deluged with news reports about the negative psychological impact of the COVID virus, we finally learn that among religious people who are active in their faith, many actually became stronger through the crisis. The same experience that devastated so many of their neighbors pushed them further into the arms of God. Their faith provided a refuge in the storm.
As our culture descends deeper into godless secularism, we should not be surprised to see more examples of this contrast in metaphysical side effects. What we think about this world and our place in it influences how we cope with its difficulties. If our worldview is built around a God who loves us and has promised a better future someday, we have reason to persevere through the trials. If, on the other hand, we see the universe as an accidental arrangement of atoms governed only by "blind, pitiless indifference" (Richard Dawkins), we have no grounds for hope. We are stuck in a struggle we cannot possibly win; so why bother trying?
Despite their different outlooks on reality, the believer and the unbeliever share the hardships in life in equal measure. The advantage of the believer, however, is his confidence that God is in control, and someday He will make this whole sorry mess right again. His hope gives him peace of mind.
And in that confidence, he finds the strength to stand firm in the storm.
--David
