Advice for Troubled Times

I have heard and seen much advice being bandied about over the past week or so.

I guess I will throw in a portion of my two-cent's worth here:

What do you do when dark, ominous clouds suddenly fill the skies above you? When things suddenly take a turn for the worse?

Well, I suppose that the number one advice you will get from most Christians is "just pray". And that is sound advice - and advice that should be followed first and above all others. Why? Well because if we first consult God about an issue, then we can see more clearly - and sometimes from His perspective- the issues we are actually dealing with.

It is amazing how that, after a season of prayer, things can look so much different, and God's creativity kicks in as ideas just start clicking.

Add to prayer, a search for answers or comfort in the Bible as well. When the Word really began to become relevant to me, was during the troubling times of my mid to late teen years.

I can remember even today soaking in words that corrected or comforted me during those times.

Now after that deep spiritual advice, let me tell you what I remembered this week: old movies.

Now anyone that knows me and my deep regard for all things black-and-white will see this as a shameless attempt at trying to wrest more converts into my primitive way of thinking. And that may be true, but old movies are truly a sound recipe for adjusting your outlook.

Now not just any old movie will do. But you are always safe with a movie directed by Frank Capra. Capra felt that God had given him the glorious privilege of being able to "talk to large groups of people in a dark room" all at one time. And he took that challenge serious. It is why his movies often focus on the triumph of the human spirit, the founding principles of America, and the wonder of people in community.

This week, amid the huge flushing sounds emitting from the direction of Wall Street, R. and I ordered up You Can't Take it With You. This movie distinctly addresses the problem of misplaced priorities. Jimmy Stewart is something of a misfit in his snooty family of bankers, he falls in love with Jean Arthur who lives among a happy band of eccentrics. Lionel Barrymore plays the leader of that bunch - "Grandpa".

The legend was told that one day as Grandpa went up the elevator to his office he suddenly realized he wasn't having any fun. He turned around, went back down the elevator and never returned. Since that time, his home became a boarding house of sorts for people to do the things they like, things that make them happy.

Each night, the occupants of the home, visitors, old friends and whoever happened along gathered around a table to dine. And Grandpa prayed in a very conversational tone, to God Who seems to be more like a kindly Friend than a Deity. I wanted to provide you with a clip but couldn't find it. Instead I did get an audio clip of one of Grandpa's Prayers. (Spoiler Warning!) He kind of sums up the whole movie in this prayer - but it really doesn't matter with old movies, you can enjoy them over and over.

Another timely Capra movie is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - this one was not received well when it debuted in Washington, D.C. - I wonder why!? Anyway this one reminds me that things haven't changed much in the political realm.

These movies always leave me feeling good - usually after having secretly brushed away a tear of two - because they end with hope and usually with a bunch of people all coming together to give a hand up to someone in need.

My last post referenced Job. The end of the book that bears his name in the Scripture, is like a Frank Capra movie. Job has learned what God had for him to learn and he has prayed for his miserable "comforters", and suddenly relatives and friends emerge on the scene. They bring gifts to help this broken man. And he ends up with twice what he started out with.

Those kind of stories are good. We need to fill our minds with them - especially when times are troubled. You Can't Take it With You came out in 1938 - when the real depression was going on. This was the kind of entertainment people turned to in those times I think they would provide a proper distraction for us now, as well.

So there's my advice: Pray, Read the Bible, and go out and get some old movies for your family to watch.

Philippians 4:8 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.