Has there ever been a time in living memory when life has been more challenging? When it has felt more like our tiny planet may be imploding, hurtling toward the end? I’m pretty sure most of us would agree that no, these are the craziest times we have lived through yet.
The temptation to stay in bed with the covers over our heads is strong. For many of us, we’ve lived with government recommendations—even, in some cases, demands—that we actually do stay in our homes. Shielding ourselves by staying home, turning off the news, engaging in safe, warm, cozy activities and light books and entertainment in an attempt to block out or forget about all that is going on is an understandable desire.
But long-term, is this a godly way to live?
While the pandemic has certainly dominated headlines—and our thoughts—for two years now, other evils and injustices continue to rage on our fallen planet. In my upcoming novel, Every Star in the Sky, I delve into the world of human trafficking—a practice that has not abated, and may very well have increased during this time of global crisis.
I’ve had a few people tell me they don’t want to read the book because it invites harsh realities into the safe world they have created for themselves. I get that. I don’t particularly want harsh realities invading my safe world, either. But I also think that, as believers, sometimes it is necessary to acknowledge the evil, to confront it through prayer or other means as God leads. If we truly desire to become like Jesus, then yes, we need times apart from the madding crowds, from all the chaos, noise, anger, and confusion. We need beautiful, peaceful times of meditation, prayer, and reflection in God’s presence.
But Jesus always returned to the hungry, the sick, the broken, the disenfranchised and did what he could to alleviate their suffering.
While it may not be necessary to get down and wallow in the mud (or to read my book or any other on a topic that may be a trigger or deeply unsettling for you), it is, I believe, a good thing for Christians to be aware of what is happening in the world, of the suffering of others. That may happen through turning on the news occasionally or by reading books or listening to podcasts, even those that cover topics we may find disquieting because they disrupt the comfortable lives we have constructed to help us endure our own circumstances.
Pray about this. Ask God what, in particular, he might want you to know more about.
Too much news or information can be overwhelming and place burdens on us that we are not meant to bear.
But if God does lay it on your heart to find out more about what a certain group of people may be going through so that you can pray for them or become even more involved in doing something to help, I urge you not to ignore that calling. Even if it means stepping outside of your place of comfort and safety, just as Jesus, refreshed and empowered through time in prayer with His Father, always did.
Sara Davison is the author of four romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, and Two Sparrows for a Penny, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, she is a Word, Cascade, and Carol Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario with her husband Michael and their three mostly grown kids. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison.
