We live in a world at war with countless tragedies all around. And this itself is part of the war for our souls. It’s hard to continue living with faith, hope, and love when darkness and hatred bombard us at every turn. We’re not called to hide under the covers and pretend evil doesn’t exist. But we must learn to wisely protect our hearts as we navigate this broken and dark world.
To be sure, we cannot avoid the pain and suffering of this life. And some tragedies hit closer to home than others. We must not look away, but fully acknowledge our pain and recognize the violence it does to our souls. We’re not being kind to ourselves to pretend otherwise.
At the same time, this does not mean wallowing in the very darkness that perpetuated our suffering. Evil wins when we allow our hearts to grow bitter and filled with despair. We must still aspire to live by faith, hope, and love. And we do this in part by remembering, like the saints of old, God’s larger story. Even as many were being tortured and killed, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated, they lived by faith and with a confident expectation of all the good God still had in store for them (Hebrews 11:35-40). And, in this way, they were able to protect their hearts and continue to love despite the tragedies they faced.
It’s easier to remember God’s story when focusing on the light more than the darkness. Without denying the presence of evil in our world, we don’t have to fixate on it either. In fact, there’s a place for benevolent detachment that frees us from carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. And this freedom then allows us to turn our hearts toward those things that remain beautiful and worthy of praise.
When we don’t protect our hearts, our wellspring of life, then evil steals, kills, and destroys our life force – our ability to bring more life and goodness into the world.
In the end, weep and wail at the tragedies of this life. And protect your heart as you do. Don’t let evil take advantage of you and cause you to lose your faith, hope, or love along the way.
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