Ever notice how life is a steady stream of good news/bad news? I thought about this yesterday around 5pm as a string of texts came through. I had just gotten a call from my doctor’s office telling me my covid test was negative. Good news, it’s only a sinus infection or a summer cold. As I was sharing that with family members and hearing back hallelujahs from them, I received a text from a friend with the news she had to put her dog down yesterday, just a week after both kids left for college. I responded how sorry I was and she replied “yes… it’s a bit much”.

Cooking dinner later to the soft jazz backdrop of Chris Botti on Pandora, Darron outside building a coffee table for our latest home improvement project, I’m flooded with feelings of hope and creative inspiration, with fall peeking it’s lovely face around the corner and the endless city construction on our little block quiet for a change. But lurking beneath the optimism lies something a little more daunting. I’m sad for my friend who is missing her boys and her beloved pet. I feel concerned for another friend who has been sick in bed for over a week and for loved ones awaiting various medical test results. And I can’t help but feel grieved by the barrage of tragic news reports popping up on my phone. 

Joy and sadness intertwined. It’s a package deal, these two.

Meanwhile Darron takes a break from his carpentry work and learns on Facebook that a high school friend just passed away. This has been happening with a fair amount of frequency, a testament to the fact we are indeed getting older. 

Over homemade pizza we express gratitude for all that’s good in this moment – Alyssa and Jarod out on a run together, training for an upcoming marathon, River sleeping sweetly in his bed, Cyrus at their church’s new kids’ program and loving kindergarten. So very much to be thankful for. 

Life is strange like this in these times we’re living in with its constant flow of information. How can we not be affected by tragic news stories around the world and social media posts by people we knew decades ago? Hurricanes and floods, refugees fleeing a country in chaos, people sick and dying. 

I’m not sure we were made for this. My friend is right. It’s a bit much.

Being continuously bombarded by tragedy and the opinions of 1,000 acquaintances stirs a host of emotions but rarely leads to action.

I think we were wired for family and community, to be present and involved closely with the people around us … our tribes. In this circle we can respond to the needs, we can stay connected. We can make a difference simply with our presence. In contrast this 24/7 information stream from various media outlets creates sadness and worry without a legitimate way to be a part of the healing. Emotion without an outlet. 

Emotions serve a purpose. They give us energy to grieve our losses and celebrate our victories, to fight injustices and put ourselves out there for meaningful relationships and endeavors. Being continuously bombarded by tragedy and the opinions of 1,000 acquaintances stirs a host of emotions but rarely leads to action. 

So what do we do? What can we do? I’m not proposing we stick our heads in the sand and live life pretending bad things don’t exist. And I’m certainly not advocating we ignore the needs in other parts of the world. But there has to be some kind of limit to the madness … right?

I look to the Word of God for answers and there I find wisdom for living in a chaotic world. We’re told to shape every worry into a prayer. To focus on what’s true and good and lovely. To practice intentional gratitude. To light up the world around us.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  Romans 12:21

When it all seems a bit much, we can stop, take a deep breath and pray. We can show love in some small way like cooking a meal or taking flowers or just by listening. We can search out worthwhile organizations to support as they offer frontline aid in the most volatile regions. We can seek out ways to creatively do our part in bringing a piece of heaven to earth.

And we can learn to let go of the things we can’t control. Carve out some headspace where the biggest headlines are not the frightening ones but the hopeful ones. Shut off the constant stream of information overload to allow room for God’s peace. We can be still and know our God, who is not a God of confusion and overload but of pure, glorious love.

I’m with you in the struggle, my friend. May we both experience a piece of that glorious love today!