Have you seen the news?

Have you seen the news? It seems every day we become aware of new horrors. I long for the pre-plastic days knowing only what happens in your little neighborhood. Because the hardships within our own communities seem already enough to bear.

But with global catastrophes at our fingertips, with images flooding our eyes, how can we be expected to sleep well at night? Especially, when we know it is our duty as Christians to help those in need. But when the need is so great, and the horror so visceral, and our own tangible reach is limited, how can we rest? How can we find peace?

How much knowledge is too much knowledge?Is it okay to limit our exposure to the crisis of the world?Or are we duty bound to face every tragedy?

Romans 12:2 instructs us to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of our minds…”

The world is so loud. Fearful. It rages and seems addicted to urgency. But as Christians, aren’t our minds meant to be renewed, not constantly flooded?

Sometimes my heart feels so big and empathy and sadness seems overwhelming. 

I think, “I need to do something. Anything to make this or that better. I need to take action to help heal the wounds others have inflicted. I need to protect my children, your children, the world’s children.” 

But then… when my mind quiets… I remember: God never asks us to carry the weight of the entire world. That job is already taken.

It’s not my responsibility to save the world. It is my job to go where he calls me. To be a witness to those he puts before me. 

And that anxiety about the world, that worry about whether I’m praying enough or doing enough…? To that he says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” — Peter 5:7

I love that. Don’t you? God’s not saying manage your anxiety. Or solve it. Or stay informed enough to justify it. He wants us to cast it. Throw it! Thrust it toward Him. Because He can handle it. He can take it and transform it. 

As children of God, we are not called to constant emotional trauma.

We are called to compassion.

Compassion is defined as a sympathetic awareness of another’s suffering, coupled with the desire to help.

I think this is something that needs to be made clear to more people, and fast. Compassion is not the same as unfiltered empathy.

Empathy feels.

Compassion acts.

Empathy can blur lines.

Compassion keeps them clear.

There is a kind of empathy (rampant in our culture) that absorbs everything — every narrative, every justification, every emotional appeal — until we lose the ability to discern good from evil. Until we begin to sympathize not only with suffering… but with the sin that caused it.

That is not Christlike.

Jesus wept.

But He never wavered about truth.

He loved sinners.

But He never affirmed sin.

He entered brokenness — without being consumed by it.

Scripture directly instructs us to be careful about what we allow into our minds and hearts:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Book of Proverbs 4:23

We need to guard our hearts, but guarding your heart does not mean hardening it.

It means protecting it.

If we continually flood ourselves with graphic imagery, outrage cycles, and emotionally manipulative narratives, our compassion can morph into confusion. Or despair. Or misplaced allegiance.

And when compassion loses truth, it stops being compassion.

It becomes distorted sentimentality.

We are called to love what God loves — and hate what destroys the people He loves.

That requires a clear mind. A guarded heart. And a spirit rooted in Truth.

I think guarding means we have permission to set limits. After all, a guard does not open the gate to every person walking by.

“I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” — Psalms 101:3

Endless scrolling through tragedy may feel like awareness… but often it only leaves us numb, afraid, and powerless — none of which equips us for the call. It does nothing to help us love our neighbor well.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” — Isaiah 26:3

Peace is not found in knowing everything.

Peace is found in knowing Who holds everything.

We are finite. God is not.

We are local. God is global.

We are limited. God is sovereign.

So tonight, before we go death scroll on our phones before bed, let’s do what we can to bring light to those in our homes and then cast our worries on Our Father, the King, the Ruler of all. What do you say?

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalms 118:24

May the peace of the Lord be with you tonight, Friend.

Love and prayers,

Verity