Nukes, Kings and a World Ablaze

Wars and rumors of wars.

Heat waves.

Hate crimes.

ICE raids.

Active shooters.

Nukes in nine countries and counting.

And erratic world leaders on every inhabited continent (including ours).

This is our new normal.

Personally, I’d like to get back to the old one. (Maybe with an extra helping of perspective. And heaping sides of compassion and peace.)

But I guess that’s not an option. Because the glut of bad/sad/ hard/horrific news has already taken its toll.

I remember how different the world seemed after 9/11. Miraculously, we Americans really came together. And our global neighbors responded with grace and goodwill.

We cared… gave… grieved. We comforted and consoled.

And solemnly counted the cost.

And here we are, counting again.

In just 48 hours…

585 people were killed in Iran.

150 killed in Nigeria.

59 killed in Gaza.

28 killed in Kyiv.

24 killed in Israel.

And 53 hostages are still held by Hamas.

That’s a whole lot of bloodied bodies, bereft families, broken hearts.

And those numbers don’t include the other victims of a growing global crisis. The collateral damage, if you will.

I’m not minimizing the death tolls. Not one iota. But I think it’s important to acknowledge other losses too. It’s ok to feel disoriented by the ripple effects of an increasingly volatile world. It’s normal to feel distressed about how different the future looks from just a few years ago. It’s understandable to feel distraught… even if none of your loved ones is among the dead.

Life.

Is.

Hard.

So many are experiencing calamitous losses, right now, in real time.

Benefit cuts.

Job eliminations.

The possibility of detention.

Loss of homes and businesses.

The threat of random violence. And the need for hypervigilance simply walking down the street in, say, Boulder, Vegas, NOLA or DC.

(Not to mention the ongoing safety concerns in every classroom in America.)

There’s other unsettling fallout of the current geopolitical climate too. Like the growing realization that there isn’t much we can control.

Including…

The very real possibility of another world war.

There’s more than a little desperation circulating right now. And very little pulling together. That’s a profoundly negative equation. (Desperation + isolation = unmitigated disaster.)

I think it’s high time the people who deliver our news (and that fellow named Zuckerberg) stop pitting people against each other… and start reporting (loud and clear) that we’re smack in the middle of another worldwide pandemic.

An alarming mental health crisis.

The CDC estimates nearly 25% of adults in the US have a mental health condition. And 13% of adolescents aged 12-17 experience serious thoughts of suicide according to a 2024 study by Mental Health in America. These staggering statistics reflect a relentless barrage of “unfortunate” events: the COVID pandemic, political unrest, a series of catastrophic disasters… and war (or the threat of war) in nearly every nation around the world.

Even those who’ve outrun or recovered from deadly viruses, terrorist attacks, wildfires/floods/ tornadoes/hurricanes and mass shootings are starting to feel the effects of their collective toll.

Regardless of where we live, more and more are finding ourselves in…

An acutely SAD state.

(As in… Stressed. Anxious. Depressed.)

And who can blame us? Coping skills are scarce. First responders, healthcare workers and therapists are stretched thin. And when there’s seemingly no safe place to go…

We go all kinds of crazy.

Relationships come unraveled. Sobriety is shattered. Suicides and self-harm skyrocket.

How do we dig up some hope in all this wreckage? Where’s the steady calm when the world’s spinning out? Who’s got answers? And antidotes?

Anyone?

Human beings are pretty resourceful and resilient. But we’re not invincible. (We’re not infinitely clever/creative/capable either.) We don’t have enough willpower or prescience or inner zen to anchor ourselves (when we’re adrift) or find our way (when we’re lost) or develop a cure (for all that ails us).

We need someone a whole lot stronger and smarter than our so-called best and brightest. We need a superhero. (Not a self-serving king.)

We need… a savior.

A wise, benevolent, capable leader.

A hope-provider and healer. One that specializes in bodies, psyches and spirits. One that can fling stars and split atoms and soothe troubled souls.

Pretty sure most of us could use a good doctor/therapist/holistic healthcare provider right about now.

Please let me introduce you to a great physician, a wonderful counselor, a prince of peace.

His name is Jesus. And he can see you anytime.

He’s the answer and the antidote.

And he will carry us through.

You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times… So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does. (1 Peter 5:9-11, The Message)

Yes, he does.

Wendy

P.S. Please know I’m not attempting to put a spiritual Band-aid on a severed artery. Stress, anxiety and depression are complex mental health issues with physical, emotional and spiritual causes and effects. (And God has given us amazing therapists and healthcare providers to help in times like this.) If you’re experiencing ongoing symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, please, please schedule an appointment or call 988.

Stat.