The Best Response To The Greatest Problems In the World
What is the greatest problem in the world today?
What do you believe? What do you think?
I did a little research and found the following list of the world’s greatest problems.
- Climate Change
- Wars and Terrorism
- Gender and Racial Inequality
- Global Health – Physical and Mental
- Cost of Living and Rising Poverty
- Religious Conflict
- Political Instability
- Nuclear Proliferation
- Weapon Accessibility
- Conflict in the Middle East
- Right to Life
It’s a list that may or may not include the things that concern you.
It can feel like today’s problems are worse than ever but the truth is, we live in a world marred by sin and evil has left its mark since the first bite of the forbidden fruit.
Despite this very long list, have you ever wondered if the greatest problem facing the world today is something we’re missing altogether?
What if the greatest problem in the world today is having a…
Self-focused Earthly Perspective
You see, nothing on the list above surprises God. He knew the ending long before there was a beginning.
Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, You are God.
Psalm 90:2
And because the eternal God made it possible for us to KNOW, TRUST, and LOVE Him, we have been invited to live with an eternal perspective.
It’s tempting to obsess about the things on the news … especially the things that touch us personally but imagine the peace we could enjoy if we viewed everything with an eternal perspective.
If this life is all there is . . . then we’re right to let things like climate change and personal rights dominate our thoughts.
But if the heaven and hell Jesus talked about are real, we should look at our current problems with a godly perspective.
- Climate Change becomes Stewardship of God’s Creation.
- Gender and Racial Equality Become Loving Our Neighbor.
- Wars, Terrorism, and Conflict Becomes Striving for Peace and Unity.
And those are just a few.
Jesus said…
“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures[i] on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19–20 (CSB)
There are plenty of terrible problems here, but because the Spirit is with and within us, we can focus on God’s presence, peace, and protection trusting and obeying His will for His glory.
I like the way The Message states 2 Corinthians 4:
We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken.
So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. These hard times are small compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:8–9, 16–18
Your problems may feel overwhelming. I’ll admit this has been a hard year but I also know that my day is better when I focus on the fact that…
No problem can take what we have in Christ Jesus.
Because of God’s grace, mercy, and love given to us through Jesus, we have a gift that not only spares us from eternal punishment but gives us everything we need today and tomorrow.
Paul wrote…
I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38–39
No power or problem is greater than our relationship with God because of Jesus … He is the God of the impossible.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer to Respond to the Greatest Problems
With an Eternal Perspective
Father God, Jesus told us that this world would always have problems. He lived with us and experienced our pain firsthand. But then, He overcame the world and took away the power of sin, death, and the enemy in our lives. We owe You, the Triune God, everything in gratitude and praise.
The world’s powers want us to live in fear because we are much easier to discourage and manipulate when we’re frightened. But You tell us we can be strong and courageous. We can live without fear because You are with us. You are greater than anything in the world.
And everything here is temporary. You offer us life and blessings that last forever. Your love never fails and never ends. Please forgive us for being shortsighted … forgive us for worrying needlessly allowing ourselves to be distracted unnecessarily.
By the power of Your Spirit, please keep me focused on You and the eternal blessings You want for me. Help me dwell on Your promise that nothing can separate me from Your love. Help me remember that You have already defeated the greatest problems by winning the battle for my soul. I give myself to You in the name of Jesus. Amen.
How are you coping with the greatest problems in the world?
Are you maintaining an eternal perspective?
I’ll admit, it’s hard for me. Today is just so … TODAY! It’s easy to feel like focusing on eternity is checking out and denying reality.
That’s why it’s important to know I’m not suggesting we all sit around being fatalistically passive. I am saying that focusing on God’s promises with an eternal perspective can help us handle those problems in ways that will make us wiser and more loving citizens today. The Holy Spirit can help us to be stewards of all God has entrusted to us and leave the rest to Him.
So, let’s look beyond the world’s greatest problems and focus on Jesus, the One who has already won the victory.
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Our focus today, and our concerns, need to be put in the perspective of the eternal. Yes, we can pray that God’s will be done and that we can be messengers of His grace and mercy toward others right here and now, but let’s never forget that He alone is in charge.
Blessings, Deb!
I manage each day with hope and peace when I keep my focus on the Lord and His eternal promises. The world is so noisy and distracting but God has everything we need to reject the distraction and place my faith fully in Him. God’s blessings, my friend!
Dear Deb,
Thank you so much for today’s article! I loved it! In fact, so many of your posts are “golden” to me – thank you for taking the time, effort, and wisdom to put them together for us. I (we) appreciate you and I (we) are praying for you as you are learning to walk this earthly walk without your Rev.
May God continue to hold you.
In Him Who is Able,
Deb (another one)
You are so very kind, Deb. Thank you! I cherish your prayers and your words of encouragement. God bless you!