Are We Living In a Social Earthquake? Part 1

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I was reading about earthquakes the other day. Having never experienced one myself, I was fascinated to read the accounts by those who had. Their descriptions of the ground rolling and undulating, of the difficulty of walking straight, of buildings swaying, and the loud rumbling and groaning noises are hard for me to imagine. But then, I thought, maybe I can understand, because I may being living in one right now.

 It seemed when I was a child back in the 50s and 60s, life was a lot more stable, generally speaking. It was easy to identify right from wrong. Lies were called out. People were held accountable for their actions.

But over the decades, life seems to have become increasingly unstable, like the vibrations of an earthquake growing ever stronger. Today, it feels as if we are in a nation-wide 8.0 social earthquake. Just like an 8.0 physical earthquake causes major damage to land and the buildings on them, this social earthquake is doing major damage to the social and spiritual foundation of our country. People’s beliefs, attitudes, and lifestyles are shifting and shaking as ideas are pushed on them by vocal groups, politicians, and biased media. It’s hard to walk a straight path when we are being told to go first one way, and then another. Good is now being called evil, and evil is now considered good. Experts contradict each other, polls show whatever their creators want them to show, and AI blurs the lines between real and false. We no longer know what to believe, who to listen to, or where to go to find safety.

What if we stopped looking around and looked up instead. What if we got quiet and listened to what our Maker might be telling us.

He might be saying, “Hold on to Me. Don’t put your trust in what you see or don’t see around you. The only place for your trust is Me. I am the only one who knows everything that is happening, and how it all turns out.”

Polls media reports, political interviews can all be skewed. We can watch, discuss, research, and develop opinions – but we shouldn’t trust any of it to save us, save the nation, or to predict the future.

Trust the one who has the future in His hands. He is the only one who can save us and make our steps firm.


I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Psalm 1121: 1-3 

for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ Isaiah 46: 9b-10

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie. Psalm 40:4

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. Psalm 118:8

4 thoughts on “Are We Living In a Social Earthquake? Part 1

  1. Randy Grathen's avatar Randy Grathen

    About your story…
    I love this story Linda. When you spoke of the rumbling and shaking of the ground around us, I pictured trying to walk a straight line. As you say, things have flipped just as the bible warned. Good is bad and bad is good, etc. Trying to walk the straight and narrow path gets harder.
    Laurie and I have experience, and survived a tornado while living in Missouri, (that is why I started Our High Places) and a Hurricane since we moved to Florida. Actually several hurricanes. Been there, done that, got the T-shirts. We’ve even experienced a couple of small Earthquakes that hit California while we were stationed in Sacramento CA. Fortunately they were far away. The room shimmied but that was it. Bottom line is, there isn’t anywhere one can live that is totally safe. Like blizzards and power outages in Wisconsin and Missouri. It’s always something. 🙂

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  2. Unknown's avatar Anonymous

    Social earthquakes have been happening for millennia. As children we focus closer to home and if we have a good home and neighborhood we don’t feel the rumbles. But when we grow up and expand our vision to the world we learn more, see more and feel more that can shake our world.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. True. But I was also talking about what I’ve seen as an adult. I taught in public schools for over 30 years. I saw the changes in education and in my students’ attitudes, behavior, and their home lives. I’ve seen the changes in social groups I belonged to, movies and TV shows, and national events as getting the news became increasingly easy. I don’t know how old you are, but don’t you think life in the US is more stressful now than fifty years ago? The pandemic, vaccine mandates, housing costs, illegal immigrants, woke controversy, riots, mass shootings, political division, etc. None of this is new, but for all of it to be happening around the same time, with greater frequency and intensity reminds me of labor pains as the birth draws near. Or the waves of a powerful earthquake.

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      1. Randy Grathen's avatar Randy Grathen

        Linda, you are so right. The book of Revelation warned us that all of this would manifest itself in the end times. I have friends who refuse to believe that is was predicted over 2,000 years ago. When I tell them that it’s in the bible – they scoff. I guess all we can do is plant the seed and pray that the Holy Spirit waters it.

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