Surely we all feel it!

  • Lockdowns & increasing rules
  • Division, even among groups that normally agree
  • Spiritual leaders exposed as fraudulent and abusive
  • Global economy in crisis
  • Uyghur concentration camps (and no one acting for their justice!)
  • Medical/health battles
  • Increasing isolation
  • Depression, mental health, suicides increasing
  • Rampant domestic violence, divorce, and child abuse
  • Geopolitical strife
  • Sexual confusion
  • Whispers of wars

Something’s terribly wrong with this world.

And it’s not just “them” — it’s “us!” Even “we” don’t agree.

Lord, help us!

When I’m sucked into non-stop news cycles, my heart catches fire with:

  • anxiety/stress/fear
  • anger
  • a desire for certainty, to make the “right” decisions
  • a grasp for control

But this morning, as I joined with other ladies to sit before God’s Word (Psalm 15 this week), my heart tuned in to these truths:

  • King David’s generation had wicked-doers, financial-cheaters, slander-speakers, lie-celebrators, truth-revilers, friend-harmers, promise-breakers– AKA “vile persons.” These things are not unique to our age, to your community, to your life, or mine.
  • The hope of the Gospel is not that we can get it together and behave perfectly–only Jesus could keep the rules. Lists of ways to live the “right way” can only take us so far, and without Jesus, they will break the spirit and bring about hopelessness.
  • As we learn to walk by the Spirit, Jesus can change our heart to make us more like Him.

I’m not really focused on Psalm 15. It’s a fine Psalm, but it’s one of thousands of places we can go in the Bible to zoom out and remember God in the midst of the terrible truth about this world.

The one thing we can do when we are consumed by {enamored with, overwhelmed by, incensed by} the news of the day, is:

TURN TO GOD’S WORD FOR A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF THIS MESS OF A WORLD.

God is able to remake our hearts, and able to transform our perspective from one of anxiety, stress, and debilitating fear. He is able to transform our insides, and the way we are looking at things. He is able to help us see what’s happening and yet not be controlled by the events around us.

When we fix our gaze on Jesus, and let His Word inform and reform our minds, it changes everything.

It’s a simple thing, and yet it’s a thing I often overlook, or get too busy for. How about you?

Let’s help each other!! If you have ideas about how we can

  • choose to turn toward the Word
  • rather than toward fixating on the world (news, stress, fears, dangers),

please share them in the comments.