The world often feels like an unsafe place. Turn on the news. Scroll through social media. The wars, the political conflicts, the climate issues, the economic instabilities, the accidents, the natural disasters, the violence. It all breeds fear. And fear breeds anxiety.
Honestly, the world can just feel like chaos sometimes, as if everything is out of control.
What do you do with your fear when it hits you? Where do you go? How do you respond? You can try to manipulate your world to create some artificial sense of control, but this is exhausting, and the chaos always finds a way in. Or you can live in a perpetual state of anxiety that breaks out in fear at the first hint of crisis. But this way of living corrodes any sense of well-being.
But there is another way. Here are two truths and two practices that move us down this path.
Truth #1 – We are given Jesus’ own peace.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Think about this for a minute. We are not given peace as an abstract calm. We are given Jesus’ own peace. What was His peace? Well, we can’t see inside of Jesus’ inner life, but at least we know His sense of peace rested on His own deep connection to the Father and His authority over the whole world.
That is the peace He desires to give us.
It is a peace that brings rest in the midst of the worst storms. Remember how Jesus slept in the boat when His disciples were terrified of drowning (Mark 4:35-41).
We don’t have to be troubled by the chaos of the world. We don’t have to live in fear. We can be at peace internally. We can feel safe.
Truth #2 – Jesus has already conquered the world.
Here is one of the most remarkable statements Jesus ever made: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Yes, we will have trials and storms. All of that is part of living in this world. But the perspective is a complete flip. Rather than fear and a survival mentality, we are to take heart and have courage. Why? Because Jesus has overcome the world. He’s already conquered the evil and the chaos.
You have to remember He spoke this right before He went to the cross. It looked like He was the one being conquered. But it’s the opposite. He conquered the world through the cross in a way evil never expected.
We don’t just have Jesus’ peace. We are following behind a conquering hero, who is setting all things straight.
But how can these truths help us feel safe when we are locked in fear? Here are two practices that help.
Practice #1 – Safe Place Prayer
This is a way of being with Jesus so that your body, mind, and soul feel safe. You simply imagine a place that feels safe and invite Jesus to be there with you. It’s a simple way to begin to feel what David did in the Psalms when he described God as a fortress and a shield.
I have used this in spiritual direction countless times to help men begin to experience Jesus as their ultimate safe place.
Practice #2 – Active Indifference
This is not the indifference that says, “I don’t care.” This is the indifference that actively desires Jesus’ kingdom above all else. It comes to decisions, to events, and to relationships letting go of control and having to have a certain outcome. It says to Jesus, ” I want your kingdom and Your love above all else. Whatever opens the doors to this is what I most desire.”
This is such a powerful way to pray because it releases us from fixating on having to have our lives go a certain way. It gives such amazing inner freedom. Whatever brings us closer to Jesus, His peace, His love, and His kingdom is the outcome we most desire.
This is one of the deep truths learned in the Exercises. I practice it when I find myself locked in fear that I can’t seem to get out of. It moves me back to Jesus. I feel safe again, whatever the fear.
Conclusion
Don’t let fear or the chaos of the world drown out what Jesus offers. He knows what it is like to live in an unsafe world. He gets us. And He wants us to feel safe, even in the worst of moments.
This is not a pipe dream. This is the heritage of all who follow Jesus, and it’s been the experience of the saints throughout history.
You can feel safe in an unsafe world.
It’s been given to you. Receive it.
Bill
