HOW A CHRISTIAN MAKES SENSE OF GLOBAL & NATIONAL TROUBLE

HOW A CHRISTIAN MAKES SENSE OF GLOBAL & NATIONAL TROUBLE

Thu May 15, 2025, Ron Unruh

 

Christians have always wrestled with the weighty and urgent matter of trouble and upheaval in the World. When the trouble is close to home our angst and anger rises. If we want understanding and tranquillity we must be authentic about our faith.  Authenticity is exhibited and experienced as we trust that God speaks to us directly about the current troubles. He speaks through scripture and the Holy Spirit. He speaks assurance. He doesn’t ignore injustice, corruption, or societal decline. He wants to anchor us in sovereign truth. So here is a theological and scriptural reflection on the matter.

 

What Is Happening and Why? 

As a Canadian I know that most North Americans are consumed by our own troubles at home. It’s wise to assess our problems within the context of all 2025 global concerns.  Listed by continent, this is what is happening in the world. 

North American: United States – Political polarization, gun violence, and economic fears; Canada – Rising cost of living and increasing governmental distrust; Haiti – Gang warfare and near-collapse of civil order; Mexico – Cartel violence and political assassinations.

Europe: Ukraine – Full-scale war with Russia; Russia – International sanctions and domestic repression; Georgia – Protests over 'foreign agent' law and Western alignment; Slovakia – Political instability and threats to press freedom; Serbia – Mass protests and political polarization; France – Mass strikes and social unrest; Germany – Far-right resurgence and migrant tensions; United Kingdom – Cost-of-living crisis and political gridlock.

Middle East: Israel/Gaza – Ongoing war and humanitarian catastrophe; Lebanon – Economic collapse and governance crisis; Iraq – Political dysfunction and militia violence; Saudi Arabia/Yemen – Proxy conflict and humanitarian impact; Jordan – Economic strain and refugee pressure.

Africa: Sudan – Civil war and humanitarian disaster; Niger – Military coup and political instability; Libya – Factional fighting and lawlessness; Ethiopia – Ethnic conflict and displacement (Tigray, Amhara); DR Congo – Armed rebel groups in eastern regions; Mali – Islamist insurgency and withdrawal of peacekeepers; ; Burkina Faso – Jihadist violence and political turmoil; Togo – Authoritarian rule and suppression of dissent; Tunisia – Democratic backsliding and economic collapse; Egypt – Economic crisis and political repression; Angola – Economic hardship and youth discontent; South Africa – High crime, corruption, and unemployment; Malawi – Political tension and economic woes.

Asia; Myanmar – Military junta, civil war, and Rohingya crisis; Afghanistan – Taliban rule and widespread poverty; Iran – Repression of dissent and economic collapse; Syria – Ongoing civil war and regional instability; Yemen – Civil war and severe famine; Pakistan – Political crisis and economic instability; India (Manipur) – Ethnic violence and unrest; North Korea – Human rights violations and military threats; China (Xinjiang, Hong Kong) – Surveillance, repression, and censorship; Nepal – Protests over monarchy and political tensions.

South America: Venezuela – Authoritarian rule and economic collapse; Ecuador – Gang violence and political assassinations; Peru – Protests and leadership crisis; Argentina – Hyperinflation and economic uncertainty; Colombia – Drug-related violence and guerrilla activity.

Oceania: Papua New Guinea – Tribal violence and governance issues; Solomon Islands – Tensions over China relations and civil unrest; Australia – Indigenous rights debate and internal political friction.

 

God’s first reminder is that ours is a World Groaning Under the Weight of Sin. The turmoil we see is not new. It's the echo of a world fallen from God's design. We must be aware of this always. “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” Romans 8:22 (ESV). This groaning is the result of human sinfulness, individually and corporately. Nations rise and fall. Leaders become corrupt. Justice is often subverted. Paul describes the "present evil age" (Galatians 1:4) as something from which Christ came to rescue us. This is a perspective we must grasp and not let go.

God Has Allowed Us to See the Consequences of Sinful Choices. When people and nations turn from God, He sometimes "gives them over" to the consequences of their desires. We must not behave as though we have not read this before. “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity... since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind...” Romans 1:24, 28 (ESV). This never means that God is absent. It means He is allowing the exposure of sin’s full effect, for a time, as a call to repentance.

 

Who Is in Control? The Lord Reigns. Even when it looks like evil has the upper hand, the Bible affirms: God is on the throne. “The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all” Psalm 103:19 (ESV). “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings...” Daniel 2:21 (ESV). 

Jesus Christ Himself said to Pilate: “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above” John 19:11 (ESV). So even corrupt regimes, though responsible for their actions, are not operating outside God’s sovereign permission. I know this doesn’t sit well when we are fuming by name about specific leaders. God raises up leaders and removes them, sometimes for blessing, sometimes for judgment, always for His purposes.

 

What Can We Do About It? Resist Evil Without Compromising Christ. Anger and grief in the face of injustice are righteous responses, but Scripture warns us: “Be angry and do not sin” Ephesians 4:26 (ESV). 

Pray for Leaders, Even When It's Hard. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions...” 1 Timothy 2:1–2 (ESV). Paul wrote this when the emperor was Nero, a brutal persecutor of Christians. Yet prayer remained a holy act of trust in God’s sovereignty.

Speak Truth, Live Justly, Shine Light. “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” Matthew 5:16 (ESV). Christians are not called to retreat or lash out, but to live prophetically, speaking truth, doing justice, loving mercy (Micah 6:8), and keeping our hearts from being poisoned by bitterness or despair.

 

Where Is God in All This? He Is With His People, and He Will Judge the Nations. God is never indifferent to injustice. “The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” Psalm 103:6 (ESV). “He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed...” Acts 17:31 (ESV). God is not just watching. He is working, even now, through the faithful obedience of His people and the hidden movements of providence.

 

What Should a Troubled Christian Do? Take refuge in the Lord: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Stay grounded in Scripture: Let the Word shape your perception more than media or political rhetoric. Participate wisely in society: Vote, advocate, speak, and act, not as those who panic, but as those who hope. Don't give way to fear or hatred: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Fix your eyes on Christ: He is “the ruler of kings on earth” (Revelation 1:5).

 

Final Encouragement

“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” —Psalm 11:3. David answers his own question in the next verse: “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven...” Psalm 11:4.

So take heart. We are not powerless, and we are not alone. The Church has always thrived in adversity. And God's purposes are never thwarted, even when the world looks like it's coming undone.