It’s been a rough news cycle lately, wars, tragedies, division. At times it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed or discouraged.
This verse from John reminds me that even in the darkest times, God’s light is not snuffed out.
How do you keep your hope alive when the world feels heavy? Any habits, prayers, or Scriptures you return to when the headlines feel like too much?
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Remember who is in charge, yes the devil has made a mess of thye world, but there is far more to life than what we have and that hope is real.
Concentrate on God, if the news depresses you, try spending as much time as you do on the news in listening to sound preaching.
Here is a real challenge https://www.mljtrust.org/
A preacher from the 60’s who dug deep into preaching what the bible says, both his accent and manner of speaking take getting used to, but if you want solid biblical meat listen to him.
What you consume daily wires your brain. Your beliefs and standards are shaped by what you take in the most. This can either lift you and help you grow closer to God, or it can tear you down and create a division between you and God. This is why what you feed, or what you take in, and spend time with matters.
Stop feeding it worldly nonsense. Here is a good place to start. (Holding up the Bible.) This is the Bible. This is the Word of the everlasting God. Forget what the World tells you is right and wrong, grey, or acceptable. Start learning what God says. The world is a world of flesh, and the things therein are for the flesh. It is opposed to God or anything spiritual. As Paul wrote to the Churches in Rome in Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The world will lie to you. It will tell you that this “book” is just like any other “religious book.” They were all written by men and are filled with contradictions. It is not. There are NO contradictions. There are misunderstands, differing points of view, or misinterpretations. But no contradictions.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16
There are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. This is according to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne. If the Bible contains numerous predictions and they are found to be false, then we can conclude that the Bible itself is false. However, since about 26 percent of the Bible consists of prophecies, any predictions that have been proven correct would support the claim that the Bible is true.
You have to feed your spirit this. The Word of God. If you do not, you will fill it with the junk of the world. Always remember that thoughts lead to actions. When you start to think about something, play it over and over again in that movie theater of the mind, you allow the good or the temptation to take hold. Garbage in, garbage out.
Peter
There’s two things I do. Stop reading the news and go for my morning walk. I live near the lake and that’s my destination. People don’t walk anymore and I can’t encourage them enough to get into the habit no matter where you live. There’s something about it that lets your mind roam free and it gets you out of that heavy trap.
I pray during that time too. Not a sit down concentrated prayer, but words here and there. I thank Him for the day because I know full well that waking up this morning was none of my doing. It’s another day given to me and I’m grateful. It’s not that I’m unwell, but I want to acknowledge the little gifts He gives and His sovereignty over my life. I look at the lake which is different every morning. Sometimes so peaceful and other times so wild. I feed the squirrels and make friends with the wild life. I get into God’s creation and nothing else seems to matter in that moment.
I know the world will go the way God says the world will go. He had it written down for us thousands of years ago. There’s nothing I can do about that and all things will lead to what He has said they will lead. My belief and faith in what the Bible says about end time prophecy sustains me when I see the trouble the world is in. There’s a different future for a child of God. Jesus tells us that we are to look up and lift up our heads because our redemption draws near. That’s what I try to do.
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@Bestill That was beautiful. We all should take this advice. Remember, Jesus often went off alone to rest and pray, to clear His human mind from the clutter of the world and be recharged, if you will, and ready for more blessings, healings, and teachings.
Peter
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The fate of the world is described in Revelation. Until these events, we can try to show the light and love of Christ to others.
some ways i do so:
- pick up a book where someone, a true story, fought against great odds, hung onto hope, and lived to tell the tale. “Hope” by amanda berry and gina dejesus is one example. i am between their ages, and they were held captive for 10 years, being violated in many ways and chained up every day, its crazy. they held onto hope, had Jesus stuff pinned up on their walls to remind them they were loved, and eventually they escaped. its so relatable because of being their age. hits me hard. in those same years, i faced many of my own trials, but i wasnt locked up and violated to the extent they were. if they could face the world with a smile after what theyve been through, then can’t i do the same?
- look at the most beautiful thing in my world- my daughter- and praise God, and hug her, thanking God for using her every day to remind me of Him. if He has blessed me with this perfect creature, then there must be hope for me. being grateful that she is in my life. i was terrified id never have her, and she is beyond my best imaginations, it is humbling when i remember what a contrast she is to the fears i once had.
- i try to remember that we weren’t intended to just be down and out all the time. i have a habit of being sullen. i envy those who can just joke and laugh and do random things that i dont have patience for. once i envy them, i try to remember that i can be that too, and need to relax.
- being pregnant right now, i am SO easily amused ive found, and im also going through a really rough time in my marriage. being able to laugh so much, so hard, is helping me. really need it right now. this didnt happen when ive been pregnant before.
- i like to remember that no matter how dark the world is, God always sees the ONE person who still cares about Him. He SEES us being in such dismay at what we see in the world, and He doesn’t forget, and He saves us. <3
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Which verse do you refer to there good sister?
When the world feels heavy, I like to create. Working to build something with my own hands gives me an unrivaled inner peace and a chance to just converse with God, the ultimate creator of all.
I agree with you Ellen that things are terrible not only in the United States, but the world. The way I cope is to turn off the news and come here to Crosswalk. After reading posts and responding, it feels much better.
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