And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:4-8 NKJV).
Let’s be honest—staying calm in today’s world feels almost impossible. Open your news app or swipe through social media, and you’re met with nonstop reports of wars, natural disasters, injustice, poverty, and suffering. It can leave you feeling helpless, anxious, and maybe even a little numb.
Everyone copes with this chaos differently. Maybe you try to tune it all out, hoping if you ignore the headlines, they’ll just fade away. Or perhaps you panic, convinced the world is teetering on the edge. Others pour themselves into causes, desperately trying to fix what’s broken. But all these responses can weigh heavily on our mental health.
According to the World Health Organization’s World Mental Health Today report, more than one in seven people worldwide—over a billion individuals—struggle with mental health conditions. The reasons are complex: from personal challenges like genetics and low self-esteem, to community problems such as isolation or violence, to global pressures like poverty and inequality. These are the very issues that fill our daily feeds.
How Should Christians Respond?
Faith doesn’t give us a free pass through life’s storms. So, how can we, as Christians, navigate these turbulent times without being consumed by worry or despair? The answer lies in following Jesus’ example and relying on the Holy Spirit’s power. This isn’t just a lofty ideal—Jesus faced more hardship than we can imagine.
As a young child, Jesus’ life was threatened by King Herod, forcing His family to flee Israel for safety in Egypt. Coming from a poor background, Jesus experienced hardship from birth, being born in a dirty stable and laid in a manger (a feeding trough for animals) instead of a crib. Throughout His ministry, He survived multiple assassination attempts, and was often met with hostility and scorn, with some questioning His very identity because of the circumstances of His birth. Although He possessed divine power, He chose humility and peace, fulfilling the plan of salvation for humanity.
Jesus also carried the emotional weight of loving people deeply, as well as seeing, and responding to their suffering. On top of that, He lived His entire life under harsh Roman rule, ultimately enduring a brutal execution.
Jesus understood our struggles. In John 16:33, He encourages us, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And for those who follow Him, He calls us to be “in the world, but not of it” (John 17:13-19). That means we can experience life’s turbulence without being defined or defeated by it. Moreover, even in these challenging times, we can still bear the fruit of the Spirit. The key? Stay connected to Jesus—the true vine (John 15:5).
Practical Ways to Abide in Jesus
- Spend time reading the Bible: Allow the Holy Spirit to change you through God’s Word.
- Stay connected through prayer: Make talking and listening to Jesus a natural part of your day.
- Let Christ live through you: Remember Paul’s words in Galatians 2:20—“It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
- Surrender to the Holy Spirit: Invite Christ to work in and through you, giving you peace and courage when life gets rough.
- Trust in God’s faithfulness: Stand on the promise that He will keep what you’ve entrusted to Him (2 Timothy 1:12).
A Personal Note
There have been times when the world’s problems—and my own—have left me anxious and uncertain. In those moments, remembering how Jesus faced hardship with grace and compassion has given me comfort. Turning to prayer and scripture helps me hit “reset,” reminding me that God’s presence is constant, even when circumstances are not. Abiding in Jesus doesn’t make the storms disappear, but it does give me hope, resilience, and a sense of purpose that steadies me.
This world is unpredictable, but our peace and hope are anchored in Christ. When everything feels shaky, let’s lean into faith, trusting that the One who overcame the world is walking with us each step of the way.
Living Water 