There is much suffering in our world today. Yet I cannot help but think of the many periods of history that have had its own form of suffering. The Holocaust, the enslavement of every people group known in existence at some point in time during history and that which is currently being perpetrated, senseless violence and the victims that suffer from the fallout. It is easy to see things a bleak or depressing. The rise of the 24 hour news cycle means networks need more news to fill the time slots, driving advertisement space and dollars for them. Everything suddenly becomes breaking news, even before it is fully vetted, researched and then sent out. With social media, everyone now has a voice, and everyone has their own take on things, some good, some bad. And no real accountability appears on these platforms or for news networks for that matter. They all can be seen as taking sides while secretly hoping they chose the right side of history.
I am reminded of the Gospel narratives in this sense. The Disciples clearly had no clue who Jesus really was or what He was trying to do. In Mark 4, Jesus calms the seas while He and His disciples are caught in a storm on a ship. The Disciples response: Fear (Mark 4:41). When the Disciples were worried about food, Jesus was teaching them about false teachers (Matthew 16:9), reminding the Disciples that He had fed thousands of people with nothing but a meal for a small child. When Jesus was arrested, His Disciples scattered, fleeing a similar fate (Matthew 26:56).
I will admit, it has been hard to come back to write. It is hard to put into words the pain and troubling things the world seems to be undergoing. I am not here to give you my take, but rather to plead with you about something else. Why do we allow so much negative input into our daily lives? Why do we scroll endlessly, hoping for an opinion that aligns with our own views of current events? Why do we waste so much time and energy and emotion in seeking news and events? Shouldn’t we be instead be seeking the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)? Shouldn’t we realize that this world is lost and broken, and our goal is to take up our cross denying ourselves and following the Lord (Matthew 16:24-26)? Before you hit “post,” ask yourself, will this statement or “take” or sentence really change anything? Does it honor the Lord? Does it really “need” to be said? What is the goal for even being on social media in the first place? Is it for visibility? Is it to stay informed? Informed about what?
I will end my rant, but still make a point here. Yes our world is suffering, and we along with it. But just as Jesus suffered on our behalf, we often forget that we don’t have to suffer as well. In view of eternity, we have One Who suffered in our place. We should daily be seeking the Lord. Daily working out what our life looks like in light of this (Philippians 2:12).
The war is won, but the battle still rages, do you fixate on the suffering or the suffering savior?
