Overwhelmed by the State of the World
Written by Madeleine Grace Scholefield, Australia
There are so many things in our troubled world that rob us of peace, and we don’t have to look far to find them.
There are the recent floods and cyclone in New Zealand, the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, wars and famines, and so many people displaced, hurting, broken, dying.
And those are just the things happening outside of us. What about our personal struggles? Conflict in our families and relationships? The insidious presence of mental illness?
There’s so much going on in the world, and it can be overwhelming. Whether we’re struggling with troubles in our own lives or feeling the barrage of bad news everytime we look at the headlines, peace can feel elusive – if not impossible.
“How can we feel peace with everything going on?”
I’m sure the disciples asked this question when Jesus told them He would be leaving. They’d followed Him faithfully for three years and now, it was all about to change. We can imagine they were feeling confused, anxious, and overwhelmed. Jesus said to them, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
What did Jesus mean, when He promised peace? Surely He knew that the disciples, like us, were overwhelmed by everything going on. Was it an empty promise, or can we really find peace while living in our troubled world?
I want to share with you a resource that has helped me to navigate this question. I found hope and encouragement for my struggle with overwhelm and desire for peace as I read this mini-series called Finding Peace in a Troubled World. It also helped me consider how I can support others struggling through their own troubles. I hope you find it helpful, too.
This mini-series was written by Bill Crowder and published by Our Daily Bread, the parent-ministry of Anxious Faith.
Madeleine Grace Scholefield
Madeleine grew up as a third-culture kid on the missions field, who now uses her writing as a way to make sense of the world and to point people to the story of hope and grace found in Jesus. Madeleine serves full time with Our Daily Bread and currently lives in Adelaide with her husband, Matt.