Maneuvers - No. 56
I Love This
Broken World
How are you doing, friend? As in, how are you really doing?
With all the uncertainty going on in our world today, it’s normal to feel anxious or overwhelmed. The news is filled with pain–new virus variants, political scandals, economic crises, and violent wars…
It’s a lot.
And to be honest, it’s heartbreaking. Is that how you feel, too?
But we have something the world can’t see right now–hope.
Jesus offers us a new perspective of the pain we see around us and on the news. He shows us what he thinks and feels about it… and he empowers us (through Holy Spirit) to make a difference… to shine his light in the darkness.
But what if all we see is the brokenness? What happens when we allow fear to hide our light? What if we let it deceive us into thinking there’s no hope?
If that’s how you feel right now, this week’s message is for you. In it, Holy Spirit is offering us a new way to see the world’s suffering–and our own. It’s a sacred invitation to surrender our pain to him and receive his peace and strength in return.
There is fresh hope for us today. So let’s listen.
01.
The Message
“The world is raging. When is it not raging? The world is overwhelmed with pain. When is it not in pain? As a whole, the world is broken. And beautiful. And what I love, I love, I love, with my whole heart.
“What to do now? What to feel? How to respond? Do not be frozen in your emotions. Do not be overwhelmed by all the ways this world is hurting. Listen to its cries. Put your heart to the ground. The children cry out. My children cry out. I hear you. I hear you. I hear every cry.
“Do not turn away from me. Do not become paralyzed and hopeless. Do not fear that this is the end. Do not imagine goodness leaving. Do not think desolation and hopelessness are what reign.
“I reign. I am here. I am always here.
“So as you watch and you listen and you wonder what to do when you see pain and hurt and sadness, stay close to me. Your closeness to me will harness the fear. Your closeness to me will protect your mind from reeling.
“You are stronger than you know.
“Stay connected to the provider of strength, the provider of hope, the provider of new life. And then I will guide you to action. I will show you what needs to be done. I will give you what you need to bring love and peace and joy into this world.
“From me to you to the world.
“This is how I made you. Beautiful child. Beautiful world. Your rescuer is always here.”
02.
Listen
How did this week’s message affect your view of God as our rescuer? How do you want to respond to him right now? Let’s write down a prayer in our journals.
03.
Think
“For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 116:8-9, ESV).
1. As you look at the world, what pain do you see? What suffering overwhelms you?
2. Close your eyes and sit still for a few minutes. As you think about the world’s pain, what fears rise in your heart? Now ask Holy Spirit to speak to those fears. What is he saying? What Scriptures does he bring to your mind? Let’s write those down.
3. How does God want you to respond to the suffering you see? How is he leading you to pray, to reach out, to act? Let’s write down each practical step God shows us.
04.
Trust
How does God view this world?
Our beliefs about God and his heart directly impact how we interpret the pain and suffering we see around us.
Do we view him as a cruel parent who doesn’t care if their child gets hurt? Do we see him as a dispassionate judge who doesn’t interfere–who simply looks on the world’s affairs from afar? Or do we question his power, as though maybe he can’t intervene and rescue?
Of course, Scripture makes it clear that none of these views are true… but our spiritual enemy loves to take advantage of our fear. When we’re vulnerable, it’s much easier to believe untrue things about our heavenly Father.
So let’s look at what the Bible says about how God sees the world…
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV).
“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14, ESV).
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, ESV).
Now, let’s pull out our journals and write down what these verses reveal about God and his character. (Feel free to read these passages in other versions, too.) Here are some helpful questions to ask:
• How does God feel toward the world? (Describe his emotions.)
• What does he want for the world? (Describe his longings and goals.)
• How does he rescue? What does it look like? (Describe his actions.)
• What does his rescue for the world look like right now?
For the last question, let’s ask God to show us his perspective of the fears we’ve been wrestling with. Let’s allow him to show us how he’s moving in each of those situations–whether across the globe or in our own homes.
And now, let’s surrender those fears to him in prayer…
05.
Pray
Jesus, the world’s suffering is so immense. Instead of giving in to the fear or closing my eyes to its hurts, help me see what you see. Let me feel what you feel–love what you love, hate what you hate, act how you act.
Fill me with your light and hope–and then empower me to bring that light and hope to this broken world.
You love this world. You love the people in it. And you love me, too. Fill me with that same love. I know that, as I give and pray and serve, I’m not alone. Use me however you want to bring your healing to the lost and hurting.
In your precious name I pray, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
