fear to peace

I just had a weird moment...I'm sitting here and I look over at CNN and there they are analyzing a piece of paper that looks oh so very familiar. My 401k statement. Not mine specifically. Maybe the news anchor's? I don't know. But it was like a "uhoh - gulp" moment. Oh, there they are on the national news talking about retirement accounts...oh, there's the form I get every quarter. Yeah, it looks exactly like that. Oh yeah, I've lost about as much money as that. Oh gosh.

But then I have to remember...everything on this earth, it won't last. I've been worried, scared, unsure of what to do. Especially yesterday when the market was down 700+ points.

But this morning, in a quiet time of prayer, God changed my heart, and I felt peace. I think I've been as smart as I could be with where I've invested money. There's not much more I can really do but wait it out. And all that I have, possessions, money, everything, it doesn't belong to me. I trust Someone else with it all. So no worries. I'll just take it a day at a time, trusting one day at a time. It will be a growing, stretching experience...which is a blessing. And what if I did lose it all? I have something so much greater to look forward to!

And anyway...just now things are looking up!

Bet you never thought you'd see the tags "economy" "spirituality" and "stock market" all in one post!

questions

So I don't know very much beyond the basics of economics. But when the stock market loses 300 points in one day, and the government bails out companies left and right while leaving others out in the cold, I have to wonder...what should I do?

My honest first impressions: not happy with the government right now. It's like they are rewarding failure. Have we forgotten how free markets work? Some businesses will fail, others will succeed. That's just how it goes. Is it really necessary for the government to step in and buy these companies with my (and your) hard-earned money? Or have we been fooled into thinking the U.S. is capitalist?

If anyone has any answers, I would love to hear them. Or advice. Since my retirement funds have lost significant amounts of money this year, and it's not looking like that trend is going to stop. I wonder if I should stop contributing and save that money for now. Or should I have the hope that things will get better, and 20 years from now, that money will have grown? I don't want to panic. I just want some real answers!