This world is harsh. It is unfair and often unjust. Helplessness and hatred abound: we giggle behind other’s backs, we curse shamelessly, and we scream and swear on the highway when someone cuts us off or goes too slow. We show no gratitude to those who help us succeed in life, and yet we expect everything to work out perfectly for everyone. Getting a laugh in class is suddenly more important than learning the lesson. Cynicism and sarcasm reign.

This is not to say that it has not always been so, for it has. There have always been the nay-sayers and the ignorant wisecrackers, but to bring it to such the extent that is today seems entirely ridiculous. We make fun of everything, but heaven forbid someone takes offense. We claim that we are advanced, and that we in shades of gray, yet the fear of offending someone—anyone—on basis of race, religion, color, creed, favorite food, place of residence, or the color of their ottoman strikes fear into the heart of everyone in this world. We fear the night and the sunrise, and we shut our eyes to blot out tragedies and inhumanities. Life seems to be a long, twisting road of loneliness and despair.

There is an antidote to this. It is a startlingly simple answer, yet to mention it to any of the dissenters would break the bounds of political correctness.

The answer is God.

God cannot be defined. He reigns above, and He is there for everyone on the face of the planet. He is the ruler of the earth, and with God in charge, there will truly never be an end.
Religion is comfort, and God is solace. To watch a devout Catholic receive the Eucharist, or to see a Protestant bowing their head for a silent grace before lunch, or to hear a Muslim praying quietly in the corner gives a sense of peace, belonging, and satisfaction. There are still people who care, and then there is the One who cares, even though He—or She, or It, or They—cannot be seen.
Humans are prejudiced creatures. We strive for open hearts, but sometimes we suffer alone, struggling to comprehend the vast multitudes of people who share our home with us. God sees these differences, and He is not colorblind; yet He embraces everyone for what they are and who they are. He shows love to everyone who comes to Him—even to those who don’t. We as a human race forsake God and use His name in vain, but He loves us even still. He should be our rock, our life, and our hope, because He is there, and He is never contemptuous or cruel.
We turn to God when we need him. When we feel we are falling or when we are trapped we cry out to him. Indeed, our automatic response to distressing news or a terrifying event is to shout, “Oh, God!” But how often do we stop to give God the gratitude He deserves? A brief prayer of thanksgiving or praise is all He asks in return. Praising God can even include things not commonly associated with Him: a small note of appreciation for a teacher, a smile for someone we usually ignore, a quarter dropped in the red Salvation Army kettle around Christmastime.

Turn to God, and He will be waiting with open arms. He is refuge, He is safety, comfort, love, and care. Even when we talk through the moment of silence or text during church, He is there, and He desires that we be with Him. God has no faults, and He will never judge us for our faults or mistakes or the poor choices we have made. He is never cynical, and He is never sarcastic. He calls out to us, and His love is the flood that can never be ceased—for He is the answer to all our problems.

“Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.”

--Joshua 1:9