Pause

Pause

Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.

“HAVE YOU READ THIS? What is going on?” Her early morning text linked to an online post declaring outlandish behavior by a government agency.

Digging a bit further, I realized the policy at issue had been around for a long time and was being taken out of context. My friend was being intentionally emotionally baited, provoked into an outsize response.

“Jess, that article is trying to provoke you to outrage,” I texted back, explaining why. I ended with, “Pause. Take a deep breath, and don’t take the bait, friend. It’s exhausting and anxiety producing, and we don’t need any more of either in our lives.”

We live in a culture that thrives on outrage. I see it everywhere, not just in politics, but both sides of the political spectrum are especially adept at revving their base up with distorted headlines and stories spun for maximum outrage.

There are situations in which we must be gravely concerned and moved to action, but failing to pause, asking God which issues legitimately require our energy and which are red herrings, meant to distract and provoke us unnecessarily, is a waste of our precious energy and creates undue anxiety.

I’ve learned to consume news with a critical eye, pausing to prayerfully consider motives and special interests before investing emotionally. And I read extensively—from a wide array of sources considered left, right, and central—no longer content to rely solely upon any source with dogmatic loyalty.

My loyalty is to Jesus, always. Political parties and love of country must be a distant second to my faith, or I risk making them idols in my life. Pausing for a long moment when faced with an inflammatory claim—no matter the source—helps me stay Christ centered, and reminds me to pray before jumping on bandwagons that Jesus may not be asking me to join.

Lord, remind us to prayerfully pause when invited to be outraged, especially by political parties or those with an agenda. Give us discernment, remembering to be centered in Christ. Amen.

-Julie

One Good Step: Practice pausing to pray for discernment and wisdom after you consume headlines, articles, and news programming, asking God to give insight into motives and hidden agendas —for all sources.