Breaking news alerts. Viral videos. The endless scroll of a timeline that never seems to stop. While we want to keep our eyes open to the world’s needs, the sheer speed of information can leave us feeling adrift – as if we’re being pulled along by a tide we didn't choose.
Add to this the compounding struggle of work stress, health problems or just a bad day… sometimes it’s no wonder that we feel like we’re at breaking point.
In our first blog of this series, we looked at how to build a ‘firm foundation’ by following Nehemiah’s example – sitting with our emotions amidst the crashing waves and grounding ourselves in God’s promises.
But once we have that foundation, how do we maintain our peace when the headlines start to pull us under? We know we can stand on the rock, but can we stay steady when the tide starts to rise around our ankles?
The ever-increasing pressure of the current
Vannesa Lovera de Bone, part of the Wellbeing team at Tearfund, suggests that navigating our daily lives in a broken world can feel like being caught in a powerful river.
‘We all face ‘currents’ in life. Sometimes it’s a personal health battle, family issues or work challenges, and other times it’s the global weight of the news. These events make us feel scared, frustrated, and out of control. It’s fine to feel that way,’ says Vannesa.
Vannesa shares a story from her time working on a medical ship on the River Amazon to illustrate how easily we can lose our way. One night, the crew felt secure just tying a rope to a tree rather than lowering the anchor. However, because the Amazon’s currents are unpredictable, they woke up to find they had drifted far from the shore. Heavy thoughts can act in the same way.
Vannesa tells us that, ‘when these heavy thoughts go unchecked, they can feel like that ship being pulled by the current – drifting in a space that drains our energy and pulls us away from peace.’
From a wellbeing perspective, she notes that it is completely natural to feel unsettled by these currents. ‘You aren't failing because you feel worried, angry, or afraid; you are simply reacting with a compassionate heart to a world in pain.’
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