Find Peace in an Evil World

Sometimes people tell me they do not listen to the news any more.  They say it is scary and depressing.  The news is full of heinous crimes, senseless killings, and bizarre events. Through social media, specialized news sites, videos taken by citizens, and other means, we are bombarded with information about what is wrong with the world.  It is evil and we must live here.

During World War 11, the demonic Hitler unleashed himself upon Europe. He wanted to create a master race by eliminating people that he considered inferior.  Mass slaughter, slow starvation, lack of medical care, and medical experimentation killed millions.

One of my best friends lived in Denmark at the time.  I met her in high school in California.   She told me the story of that time as a small child in wartime.

Her parents hid Jews in their house knowing how dangerous it was. They were unafraid because they knew that God was in control of whatever happened.  

Another good friend lived in Holland during the blitz.  Daily and sometimes hourly air raids forced her, her family, and others into shelters.  Life became scary and unpredictable.  She tells of the terror of a six year old when bombs exploded all around them.  She knew even then that God was with her.

Evil lived in the world then as it does today.  War, genocide, rioting, kidnapping, and other ills take many lives.  People suffer and die from horrible diseases.  Gunmen run amok.  Snipers kill people in the mall or fast food places.  The war on drugs ruins many lives. Invasions, sneak attacks, scams, and unknown horrors lurk ready to strike. 

How to find peace

What can you do to insulate yourself from the increasing trouble and chaos in the world now and to come?  Know that God is in control.    The first step is to spend some time getting to know Him.

How can you know God better?

Think of your best friends.  You got to know them by talking to them.  You found out what they think about things and their reasoning behind it.  You spent time with them and learned from each other.  While we will never know the thoughts of God, we can become closer to Him.

Spend time talking to God.  Bring Him your requests and pleas for yourself and others.  Praise his excellent goodness.  And spend time listening for answers.  Conversations run both ways, it takes more than one.

Learn more about God

Spend time reading the Bible, the inspired word of God.  Many people wrote it in different styles and from different perspectives, and many years apart but the stories show you God’s relationships with people.  It tells what makes Him angry and what makes Him glad. Through reading you get to know Him better.

When the next disaster strikes, when the next madman tries to take over the world, or personal tragedy blots your life, you will know that God is in control.  You can know the peace that passes all understanding.  Start now or start anew.  You knew you always wanted to do that.  Now is your time.

All photos from public domain.