Reasons to be cheerful

A lot of my time and attention is taken up with the challenges we see on the horizon.

The quicker we are to spot possible issues, the easier it is to respond in an effective way. It’s not always possible though and sometimes you get caught out. The recent changes to abortion law in Northern Ireland is a case in point. Few were predicting at the time that a procedural Bill which was designed to extend negotiations for the return of the NI Assembly would be hijacked to affect one of the biggest ever abortion law changes this country has seen.

Sometimes I get discouraged in the work CARE and others are involved in. You end up feeling as if the work is pointless because there seems to be so little real progress. With ongoing challenges for street preachers, concerning developments on life issues and things like divorce being made easier, 2020 will no doubt be a very challenging year.

Four things to give thanks for

But now the new year is more than a month old, I want to sound a different note in this column. I want to talk about some reasons why I’m still thankful. I’m sure, if you’re anything like me, praying can more often be focused on what I want, than on what I’m thankful for. I was very struck again recently by the importance of thanksgiving. Not only does it honour God, but it also has a tremendous effect on our own souls. Being thankful is good for us! In that spirit, here goes.

Firstly, I’m thankful that the United Kingdom has enjoyed relative stability over the past few decades. Yes, the last three years has witnessed a lot of political turmoil and yes, there was the financial crash in 2008 with all its attendant consequences. But overall, the last 50 years have been relatively peaceful. Despite terrorist atrocities, we’ve experienced nothing like the Blitz of the 1940s that my Dad went through and many others. Just look at the chaos and instability in the Middle East and you realise we have good grounds for giving God thanks.

I’m also thankful for democracy. Like many I’ve certainly experienced voting fatigue over the last four to five years. I have voted in the Scottish Independence referendum, the UK election, the EU referendum, the 2017 election and the recent election as well. Not to mention local and European elections, too. For all the complaining frustration, it is still another example of God’s goodness that we can vote! No, democracy is not perfect and as a system it has its flaws. But is it better than the alternatives? I think so! So, I’m thankful for the fact that I have a vote and I’m free to cast it in a manner I see fit, standing up for the values I believe in.

Then there is the freedom of speech we enjoy in this country. Of course, it’s under threat. There are some highly troubling examples where the authorities have, wrongly, penalised orthodox Christian views. But such cases are still a minority. When you go to church on Sunday, there is no realistic chance the police will storm the building and take the preacher away. That may still come. But we should give God more thanks than we do for the remarkable freedom we have. Freedom to worship, freedom of conscience, these things matter enormously. Despite the fear many Christians experience, the legal protections that still exist to protect free speech are considerable.

Finally, I’m thankful for the opportunity to be involved in Christian advocacy. Despite all the disappointments, we have seen encouragements. Through CARE and other groups, the named person scheme in Scotland, which undermined parental rights, was defeated. Protections for problem gamblers and human trafficking victims have been strengthened, and we’ve been able to especially support Christian MPs and Peers to be faithful and to bear true witness in the corridors of power.

I know there are huge challenges in the coming year. But I don’t want to fall into the trap of sensationalising how awful everything is. God is on the throne. We have seen encouragements. May God give us many more in 2020.