Many years ago, my family enjoyed a program called Hee Haw. If you are familiar with it, you remember that there was a lot to find amusing and give moments of laughter in watching it. You had to enjoy guitar and banjo music to enjoy listening to the music and fun. And I imagine that in today's world, this program would not have been produced. Many would have found something to disapprove of. But it was a weekly appointment for us when we could. And while it was mostly done in and for fun, there was always one song that seemed to show the opposite mood. The skit, with its catchy tune and relatable themes of love and loss, became a recognizable and beloved part of Hee Haw's weekly lineup. It always told a story of tragedy but with a comedy skit.
Gloom, despair, and agony on me Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all—Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Not long ago, I did something that I never have done before, in fact I did not think it was possible for me to perform the gymnastic act of the "splits"! I guess I have been wrong for a long time as I proved to myself that I "can do it"! Now, I was not doing the splits intentionally, nor do I ever plan on doing that act again—not ever again! Many are aware that I have had movement troubles for several years from knee and hip issues. So, definitely doing the splits was not a happy move. And no, shoes on my feet were not on my feet! Me and my shoes have a long dislike for each other. Consequently, I had slippery feet!
I started losing control of my right foot as it started to slide to one side. Before I could figure out what to do about that, my left foot began to slide in the opposite direction. At that point, I called desperately for help. Garry arrived but by then there wasn't much he could do but watch me go completely down to the floor! I can warn everyone not to try it as it is very, very, painful! If landing on the floor was painful and scary, getting back off the floor was a whole other kind of challenge and also very painful. The next few days were not fun! I felt the gloom and despair and agony and excessive misery! Eventually, I made appointments with a chiropractor and signed up for some physical therapy. Both of those have relieved some of the despair and agony and excessive misery. As bad as I was hurting, it was nice to hear voices of help and comfort and hope. There were promises of improvement and recovery from the despair and misery and agony.
Recently there has been a lot of Gloom, despair, and agony for all, Deep, dark depression, excessive misery—from current events and the effects on the lives of many. They see only No Hope! People have worries about what is happening in the world and our country and our homes, church and society. Some are concerned about jobs, and some are worried about having to repair or buy a different car. One was dismayed that I would ever consider going to a chiropractor, and then there was me and my splits and misery! Added all up, it has been a whole lot of doom and gloom and despair and agony. Not every morning is a good morning for me, and I get tempted to talk about my agony and misery. I can choose to not "tell" about it or I can spread my gloom and despair and agony and misery. I try to choose to keep it to myself. I often think of Paul who was not without pain. In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul refers to a "thorn in the flesh," a persistent and troublesome affliction that he was given by a "messenger of Satan" to prevent him from becoming conceited. He describes this affliction as tormenting him, and he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove it, but the Lord told him that His grace is sufficient and that His power is made perfect in weakness. In this world that Satan has in his control, life has pain for most everyone. Perhaps my misery helps to keep me allowing others to be just as or even more miserable than I am experiencing.
Jesus said to "take up one's cross. To "take up one's cross" means to be willing to endure hardships and challenges, even if they are painful or uncomfortable, for the sake of one's faith or commitment. The phrase "my cross to bear" is a popular expression derived from Jesus' call to his followers to "take up their cross and follow him". In a broader sense, it signifies the willingness to endure difficulties and make sacrifices for the sake of one's beliefs or commitments. It can also refer to the challenges and hardships that individuals face in life and their willingness to carry them. The phrase "take up your cross" comes from Jesus' teachings in the Gospels (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23), where he calls his followers to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow him. The cross, in this context, is a symbol of sacrifice, suffering, and also my obedience to God. I think each one of us has a different "cross to bear." Will we do it cheerfully or with despair and misery?
Every generation has had some fear and gloom for decades about world affairs and the END! And yet, we are still alive and here in this world. Life goes on and will go on until God sends Jesus to come and take us away from here. Some of these past fears I definitely remember, and I remember that they came and went, and then other fears arose in their place. The 1920s had a huge Red Scare, and recovery from WWI that left many destitute. The 1930s were a time of more threat of war and the Great Depression. That was followed by the 1940s and the fear of Communism and Soviet espionage. The 1950s was the time of McCarthyism and segregation. That led us to the 1960s with the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the missile crisis in Cuba and the first Catholic president,
who my grandparents were sure would be the end of our country and then came 3 the assassinations that carried fear. The 1970s was a time of great instability and shortages, breakdown of families, threats of nuclear war and excessive inflation. When the 1980s came, we had the beginnings and fears of aids, new technology, drugs, and the decline of morality. Most can remember the 1990s with the Persian Gulf crisis and War, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fear of the approaching Y2K. Y2K did not bring the end of the world as we began the new millennium in 2000. And we all remember the fears of September 11 and terrorism. The next decade was a time of more fear of how explosively fast technology was taking over our lives and entertainment. And we feared the rise of social media.
Some time spent with Google let me remember and learn more about the fears of each generation.
The Greatest Generation (born roughly between 1901 and 1945) might have experienced concerns related to the aftermath of World War II, the rise of the Cold War, and social and political upheaval.
The Boomers (born roughly between 1946 and 1964) may have experienced concerns about the future of the planet and the effects of climate change.
While not specifically mentioned in the search results, Generation X (born roughly between 1965 and 1980) likely experienced the anxieties of the changing economic landscape, including downsizing and job insecurity. Generation X has likely experienced a range of societal anxieties, from the end of the Cold War to the rise of technology and the internet. Members of Gen X may grapple with concerns about aging, family dynamics, and the impact of technological changes on their lives. This generation may be contemplating the end of their careers, the passing of their loved ones, and the overall legacy they leave behind.
Some sources suggest that millennials, born roughly between 1981 and 1996, have faced economic uncertainty, job insecurity, and anxieties about their future, particularly as they navigate the challenges of higher education debt and the changing job market. Concerns over social media, mental health, political instability, and societal pressures can also be seen as prominent factors. Concerns about personal finances, career trajectory, and relationships are also common.
Gen Z--This generation, born roughly between 1997 and 2012, faces anxieties about social media, the climate crisis, and the future. This generation is grappling with concerns related to political division, climate change, and the overall state of the world. Concerns and anxieties about their future and societal pressures are prominent factors.
The next age is Generation Alpha, those born in 2010 to 2024. And now we are in the 2020s. Many of the past fears are back along with new fears. We have inflation and recession and depression, fear of the economy and politics and war perhaps with China and AI taking over the world and declining morality and the fact we won't survive what is coming to us. Many fear that Covid will kill or that the vaccine will destroy their life. These fears are mostly not new, and we do fear the unknown that is to come.
While specific anxieties and fears may evolve across decades, it's clear that each generation grapples with unique challenges and anxieties that shape their experiences and perspectives. I remember radioactive bomb shelters and hiding under my school desk and growing up with the world that was justly scared of the atom bomb.
As a child, I have no memory of fear and worry from then. My parents must have done a good job of shielding me from most of those troubled decades. Or maybe it was their trust in God and His guidance that helped them to not fear the times they lived in. And to this day, I listen but mostly do not worry about current events—unless perhaps a tornado warning is in my area! I watch the fear of others with their worries. I don't see much happiness and hope and trust in God's care for us during what will happen next. The Bible gives us information on the idea of Worry versus Happiness and Hope. With so much happening in politics and the world, I can prefer to worry or prefer to choose happiness and hope. I can't change anything. I can choose to trust God to do what is best. I don't need to worry. I have been told that I might have a "bad" gene! I have chosen to not worry about my "bad" gene that might cause me and my sons and grandsons to have a bad disease. They along with me have chosen to not worry about this "bad" gene. God will provide and, just perhaps, maybe, the possibility exists that Jesus may come and then we for sure didn't have to worry. It all would have been a waste of time. So I'm not going to waste my time with worry--about that. Do I never worry? No, I do and I have even lost sleep with my worries. But I try to make the times of hope be more than the times of worry. Worry and stress destroy homes and health.
Gloom, despair and agony on me Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all Gloom, despair, and agony on me
That seems to be the very sentiment of Jacob as he and Pharaoh meet for the first time. When asked how old he is, Jacob states, “All the years of my travels are 130. All the years of my life have been few and painful; the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors” (Genesis 47:9 NLT). He described the years of his life as anything but enjoyable. They had been full of gloom, despair and agony. Jacob seemed to see his life as having been full of deep, dark depression and excessive misery. Which is sad to realize because God had been a part of his life all along the way. In most respects Jacob had lived a blessed life. He had a large family made up of many wives and sons. He had large flocks and more than enough wealth to live comfortably. Yes, he had been cheated by his uncle and forced to work for him in order to gain the hand of his daughter, Rachel. But God had blessed Jacob and he was able to leave his uncle’s employment a wealthy man. He was also able to return home to Canaan and be welcomed with open arms by the brother he had cheated many years before. Their relationship was healed and Jacob’s place in the family was restored. And while Jacob had endured the loss of his youngest son, Joseph, he had just recently experienced the joy of finding him alive and well in Egypt. Not only that, his son was the second-most powerful person in Egypt. But all Jacob could see was the negative. Jacob does not express gratitude for God’s goodness. He does not offer God any thanks for His providential hand in his life and the gracious return of the son he had long thought dead. Rather than focus on the goodness of God, Jacob seemed to be fixated on what he believed to be the difficulties of his own life. Life on this planet will always be marked by peaks and valleys, ups and downs, joys and sorrows. The great king, David, had to endure years of pain and suffering as he ran from the anger of Saul. He had been anointed king of Israel, but would have to wait years before the throne was actually his. David was able to write: But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. – Psalm 59:16-17 NLT
How easy it is to view our lives through a lens clouded by doubt, despair and a fixation on difficulty. How many times have we expressed words like the song—
Gloom, despair and agony on me Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all Gloom, despair, and agony on me
But the goodness and greatness of God should overshadow our gloom, despair and agony. The unfailing love of God should outweigh our excessive misery. And the providential care of God should be more than enough to replace our need for any kind of luck, good or bad.
One of our local pastors recently wrote a column for the newspaper that I appreciated. His thoughts were good ones. “The next time you feel like events, natural disasters, and the political situation is simply too out of hand, I would commend you to read Luke’s gospel. Where is God now that the disciples have died and the second coming has yet to occur? God is all around us and indeed has the events in history in hand. Only Luke’s gospel, goes into specific detail to identify historic landmarks….Luke’s stories are all among the stories Jesus shares to identify that “God has this”, despite the unfortunate events of the time…..Where is God now? Luke accents the Holy Spirit of the risen Jesus who is among us. Read the book of Luke or Acts…..The stories point to a God of second chances regardless of how much we have messed up our own lives. This God meets us in our darkest valleys, identified with our pain, but points us to new life….The next time you wonder who is in charge of all the events going on in the world, Luke reminds us that God had this. Od operates in the events of history and reminds us that death is not the final word. If you tend to be a worry wart—take a moment to read Luke’s gospel. If you are hungry for more of where God is these days, then go over to the book of Acts. The books are written…..to leave the reader with the assurances to not to worry—God Has This. Amen.” Jesus has told us over and over to Be Not Afraid. Remember the storm on Galilee and again when there was a walking on water episode.
Yes, the world appears to be getting worse and worse, but those who understand prophecy know that this is going to happen, and we should want it to happen for that means the world will soon end! I want that, don't you? I long for God to make our world new and beautiful again with all signs of sin destroyed by fire.
Gloom, despair and agony on me Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren't for the SON, I'd think it's only doom for all,
Gloom, despair, and agony—not me!
Faith, Happiness and Hope for all!