The problem of FUD – Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt

In the field I work in, there's a common practice: use FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) to get people worried about a competitors product - so they will buy yours instead.  The Bible warns us about fear, uncertainty and doubt as well.  Who knew?  FUD is a really old thing.

Actually, it's now the field I used to work in - back in April of 2012, when I wrote this.  It's now February of 2017, and I'm retired.  Still keeping up with the field, but retired.

I'm moving everything from my old site to here (like I said - keeping up) and doing updates at the same time.  I'll put the updates in text like this so you can tell what's new.

I first thought of writing about this two or three weeks ago - because I was (am) really getting tired with so many things going on in my life right now. Too many problems at work. Too many problems at home - like the tree that fell in the back yard - like getting hit and having my car totaled - and on and on. It really feels like being under attack.
Sometimes it's impossible not to wonder -
What am I doing that's causing this?
Would it stop if I stopped writing?
Would it stop if I ...
And on and on.

FUD

Then - last week - we were studying 1 Peter 1:1-9 in a Bible Study class - and there it was - FUD.

The verses that really stood out are -

Praise to God for a Living Hope

1Pe 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

So Peter is telling the people that things are going to happen - the trials may come
now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
But we're still supposed to rejoice, because that entire sentence is actually -

1Pe 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Easier said than done - that's for sure.

There's a saying that I often think about at times like this (haven't found a reliable source) -

When you're knee deep in alligators,
it's hard to remember that your original task was to drain the swamp.

When we're up to our necks in suffer<ing> grief in all kinds of trials. -
sometimes it's hard to remember the original task was receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.