Faith, Anxiety, and Finding Hope in Modern Times

Host 1 (Mac): Mike posted something on his Facebook page recently. Mike, what you post there is not only personal, but it’s also really global. I’m going to toss it over to you to explain what you posted and why it’s appropriate to talk about in the context of our personal lives and the circumstances we’re hearing about on a local and national level today.

Host 2 (Mike): Yeah, well, my son-in-law posted on his page, “Let’s encourage each other today and post something inspirational.” So, I posted Jeremiah 29:11, which reads in the New International Version: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to give you hope and a future.”

Of course, when you’re young, there’s a lot of future ahead of you. When you’re older, there’s not quite as much. But as Christians, we have all eternity to look forward to. Even if someone in our audience doesn’t share that faith, the wisdom is still applicable. The things we face on a daily level—and even globally—cause so much “hand-wringing.” Think of the last 70 years: the Cold War, nuclear drills where we’d duck under desks. It never manifested. 99.9% of the time, even if a terrible thing happens, if you emerge on the other side, you’re typically okay—until the day the doctor tells you “that’s it,” or you clutch your chest for the last time. For those of us who believe, that’s just the next chapter. What do you think, Mac?

Mac: You mentioned “punching your ticket.” Recently, we lost Scott Adams—not the Dilbert creator, but a man who had cancer and passed away recently. He had a program called Coffee with Scott on the internet. He knew his cancer wasn’t curable, but he had a very good attitude. I also read recently that Victor Davis Hanson has lung cancer. Even as a non-smoker, he’s facing surgery and worrying about his future.

When you posted that verse, remember that Jeremiah was specifically talking to Jewish slaves in Babylon. Whether they were treated well or poorly, they were slaves, and slavery is never good. Jeremiah was telling them: God has something better for you. I have a friend going through difficult times right now, and I referenced the same thing: “Fear not, because you know not the plans I have for you.” Mike, with your beliefs in predestination, you probably have a handle on that. I believe in free will—that men have a choice—though God knows what choice we will make because He is not bound by time. Maybe that’s the same thing as predestination, though I’m not willing to admit that yet! But look at Gaza; people are starving. Isn’t “Fear not” a good attitude to take about anything?

Mike: It is. It’s come in handy throughout my life. In the military, I was deployed to many war zones. Suddenly you’re told, “Be on a plane tomorrow.” That constant anticipation causes stress. A doctor once explained the adrenal gland to me like a rubber band: if you stretch it too many times, it loses elasticity and takes longer to return to its shape. That’s anxiety. Whether it’s going to war or going on a date, if you anticipate “Murphy’s Law” happening, you get anxious.

I went into those situations with the resolve that God’s got this. If you don’t have that faith, the next best thing is to remember all the times you were anxious before—you got through them, right? There is light at the end of the tunnel until the day you die.

Mac: You brought up politics and “preppers.” People think because you did combat search and rescue, you must be a prepper.

Mike: I don’t prep! I have a little firewood and food, but I don’t have 10-year stockpiles. I’ve been down this road too many times where people say the sky is falling. If the sky falls, God’s got me. I’m not worried.

Mac: Do you ever wonder what people who don’t believe in God hold on to?

Mike: I used to be one of those people. I think they often live in denial because you have to do something with the anxiety of knowing you’ll die someday. I remember a fellow soldier who wasn’t a believer at the time; he’d say, “I can’t talk about that, I get all worked up.” That’s avoidance.

If you’re a believer, you believe things work out for God’s purpose. If things are rough, they will either work out here, or you’ll head to heaven—which is a better life with no pain or sorrow. Someone once said, “If I live a Christian life and I’m wrong, people will at least say I was a good, humble man. If I’m right, what risk am I taking?”

Mac: I have enough confidence in my human abilities to solve most problems, and as a prudent man, I take measures to protect myself. I even pre-planned my funeral so my son doesn’t have to guess what I wanted. There’s no anxiety there. I believe there’s a plan for my life. God puts decisions in front of me; He’s happy when I make the right ones, and I get “self-critiqued” when I make the wrong ones.

Mike: We aren’t perfect. Even I got anxious and upset about something the other day. We live in a world far removed from the Kingdom of God, and we lose sight of the fact that He is with us. What’s that term for when you act in a way that doesn’t align with your beliefs?

Mac: Cognitive dissonance.

Mike: That’s it. It’s important to forgive yourself for the “sin” of forgetting God is there. We are human and frail.

Mac: You always say, “Emotions eradicate skills.” When people make emotional decisions, they are often troublesome. When they use logic and facts, they can be brilliant. This earth isn’t meant to be perfect.

In the Lord’s Prayer, the line “Lead us not into temptation” is often interpreted by scholars as “Put us not to the test.” We are tested not by the Creator, but by the one thrown out of heaven. Those who come through the test are rewarded.

Mike: I’ve heard variations like “Let us not be tempted.” Regardless, everyone needs encouragement. Life is actually pretty darn good, especially here in America. This message isn’t just for Christians—it’s for veterans dealing with suicide cases, too. As long as you don’t give up, there’s hope. Like the t-shirt says: “Falling is okay, crawling is okay, resting is okay; quitting is not okay.”

Mac: Even for non-believers, consider that the Bible has lasted 2,000 years because people find value in it. It’s a good book with good advice. We err when we dismiss things because they don’t fit our narrative. I see people post that ICE is like the Gestapo; it’s a lie, yet they repeat it. People look for the answer they want instead of the truth.

Mike: People get caught up in conspiracy theories—like Nicki Minaj saying we didn’t land on the moon. You have to be careful about your political allies if they believe “kooky” things. It shows a lack of critical thinking. You called me smart once, but I’m just inquisitive. I ask questions. When I hear about “Flat Earthers” or “missiles hitting the Pentagon,” I just ask more questions.

Mac: I use the “standard of evidence” test. If we hadn’t landed on the moon, Russia or China would have shown pictures of an empty surface by now. It’s the same with the Jeffrey Epstein files—if there were dirt on Donald Trump, the current administration would have released it by now to defeat him. In fact, Trump kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago years ago.

We need to use our “brain matter.” Ask: “What does this picture show? Is it doctored?” If there’s no evidence of tampering, it’s reasonable to believe it’s an airplane wing. Our education system used to teach us how to think, not what to think. Thomas Jefferson said to “question boldly.”

Mike: I tell people: if you see something on Facebook, copy the text and pop it into an AI generator and ask if it’s true or false. Then cross-reference it across several AIs. People trust a one-page link from a random website but dismiss AI that analyzes 250,000 sources. It’s just a tool for research.

Mac: Computers are fast and detailed. They can spider through the internet to prove or disprove things in seconds.

By the way, I was at breakfast with a mutual friend recently. When I mentioned I was doing a podcast with Mike Kelly, he put his fork down and said, “That guy is really smart.” Unprompted! So, even if you’re “dumb as a rock,” people think you’re a genius.

Mike: (Laughs) Well, I had them fooled, didn’t I?

Mac: Whether you’re a believer or not, the message of Jeremiah applies to modern problems. Reducing anxiety is always good for you. Mac and Mike, out.