“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” -- Marie Curie

Words cause fear. "socialistic," "neo-fascist," "immigrant invasion," "racist." The votes are in and this is going to be the first ever politically motivated podcast of my life...and I’m still not going to get into politics. Today we are going to explore how seeking understanding can actually help eliminate fear.

Amy..are you willing to earn $100 an hour at a job? I need you to accept or reject this job before you even hear about it. Do you want the job? Now stay tuned till the end of this podcast to hear if Amy made a wise choice or turned down something spectacular.

Why does understanding help us eliminate fear?  The more you know the more you build up confidence.  Knowledge really is power, but it is the process of seeking understanding that’s the key.

The most important thing you need to understand after this election is:

• God is still in control. Do we believe this or not!
• You need to understand how to respond now:
• Trust God
• Run to God

Psalm 29:10-11 The LORD rules over the floodwaters. The LORD reigns as king forever. The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.

Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he guides it wherever he pleases.

The process of seeking understanding:

First Step

Take a timeout - slow down, take a deep breath and remind yourself who is really in charge.  Now you are calm and have the proper perspective...look around and research what needs to be understood. Come up with new insights on how things work and how you might best fit in with the changes constantly occurring around you.  This is about coming up with ideas on what you can do.  You are not powerless. You are not a victim.  You can do this in many areas of your life:
Politics, marriage, children, extended family, your job, etc.

This is about becoming a PhD in the things and people around you.

Ignorance: lack of knowledge or information. Studies suggest that adults, who are educated and have enriching/challenging jobs are happier.  They feel a better sense of control over their lives.  Confidence.  (Schieman, Scott and Gabriele Plickert. "How Knowledge Is Power: Education and the Sense of Control." Social Forces, vol. 87, no. 1, Sept. 2008, pp. 153-183.)

Test it. When you discover something do something. It’s not just knowledge or understanding that helps eliminate fear, it’s doing something with understanding.
That’s why you make choices to run to God, seek understanding and then put to practise what you have learned.