When The World Falls Apart

When the World Falls Apart

Psalms 46

These are indeed turbulent times in which we live. The global stage trembles with unrest—instability, conflict, and the ever-present threat of war. Nations rise against nations—not just with words, but with weapons. Some justify their aggression under the banner of 'ethnic cleansing,' seeking to erase entire communities under the pretense of national purity. Others claim to protect their citizens abroad, as if citizenship were license to violate another nation’s sovereignty. Still others invoke ancient maps and distorted legal claims to justify seizing lands that were never theirs. The result is a world teetering on the edge, where international norms are eroded, diplomacy is drowned out by brute strength, and fear breeds division. Yet behind the politics lie deeper motivations: the hunger for power, the pride of nationalism, economic ambition, and the age-old temptation to dominate rather than serve. Jesus warned us of such times: 'You will hear of wars and rumors of wars…' (Matthew 24:6). What we are witnessing is more than political maneuvering—it is spiritual brokenness on a global scale. The hearts of many have grown cold. Truth is negotiable. Justice is twisted.

But it’s not only our political world that is shaking—creation itself is groaning. Across the globe, extreme heat is making some regions nearly uninhabitable. In countries like Pakistan, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, and even the United States, temperatures have soared as high as 165°F, threatening the very limits of human endurance. Earthquakes are becoming more frequent and devastating—such as the recent 7.7-magnitude quake in Myanmar that claimed over 5,400 lives and left more than 11,000 injured. And if that weren’t enough, waves of disease continue to sweep across our world. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, more than 7 million lives have been lost. But that’s only part of the picture. Heart disease, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and countless other afflictions continue to steal life daily. From the searing deserts to the silence of crowded ICU rooms, creation groans beneath the weight of suffering (Romans 8:22).

These are not just headlines—they are signs. Signs that the end is drawing near, just as Jesus foretold in Matthew 24:4– 8. And yet, as the world groans and shakes, our response as believers is not fear—it is faith. Our hope is not anchored in the fragile systems of this world, but in the unshakable Kingdom of God. And into this chaos, Psalm 46 speaks—not with panic, but with peace. It reminds us that in every storm and every shaking, our refuge and strength is not in governments or medicine or mountains—it is in God. He is our rock, our fortress, our ever-present help in trouble. Though the mountains crumble into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and the nations rage, we will not be moved. Why? Because our God reigns—sovereign over all things, both visible and invisible.

God is our Safe Place in Chaos

Fear is not a new struggle for the people of God. Throughout the Old Testament, we see moments when fear nearly paralyzed the children of Israel—despite God's promises and presence. Take Exodus 14, for example. After Pharaoh finally released the Israelites from slavery, he quickly regretted letting his workforce go. In response, he pursued them with full military might—'six hundred of his best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them' (v. 7). As the Israelites stood trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea, their courage collapsed. Scripture says, 'They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?”' (vv. 10–11). Fear rewrote their past and erased God’s promises from their hearts.

Later, in Numbers 13, twelve spies returned from scouting the Promised Land. Yes, they confirmed it was a land ' flowing with milk and honey' (v. 27)—just as God had promised. But fear took hold when they saw the strength of its inhabitants and the size of their fortified cities. In their words, 'We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes' (v. 33). Instead of trusting God’s power, they questioned His plan: 'If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?' (Numbers 14:2–3). And who could forget the fear that silenced Saul’s army in 1 Samuel 17? Goliath stood over nine feet tall, clad in bronze from head to toe—his armor alone weighed 125 pounds. His javelin’s iron point was 15 pounds. Day after day, he issued his challenge—and Israel’s seasoned warriors responded not with faith, but with fear. 'They were dismayed and terrified' (v. 11).

These stories remind us that fear has a way of shrinking our view of God’s promises and magnifying the size of our problems. But they also show us that fear is often the backdrop against which God's power shines most brightly—when we stop relying on what we see and start trusting fully in who He is. The psalmist declares with unshakable confidence: 'Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging, we will not fear' (Psalm 46:1–3). In a world where the very foundations are crumbling—geographically, politically, and spiritually—this is not natural courage; this is supernatural trust.