[5] Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
[6] those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
[7] Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
[8] for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
[9] that he should live on forever
and never see the pit.
– Psalm 49:5-9

Something I’ve struggled with for a while now in unrighteous bitterness is looking at how things are going in this country and in fact the world, how the mega-rich along with elitist politicians, make out like literal bandits, bankrupting an entire nation, profiting on the way up and on the way down, not giving one iota of gratitude to the God who grants that they should have what they have; how our democratic society largely isn’t engaged in what is going on at a local or national level, other than sound bites they hear through various propaganda machines; how politicians work in tandem with big corporations to mess the average person over for their own personal gain, all the while exempting themselves; how the middle class is quickly being sidelined into either the elites or the poor, and on and on. I’ve become discouraged and at times feel some sense of hopelessness when looking at the situation.