Finding Hope in a Broken World: The Only Way Forward

Sep 15

Have you ever looked at the news and felt overwhelmed by the darkness? Some weeks are heavier than others. Some weeks more is happening in our personal lives and in the world, and we just get a little weighed down. This past week has been one of those weeks of heaviness.

Just think about what we've witnessed recently: a Ukrainian refugee murdered on public transit, a political commentator gunned down on a college campus, another school shooting. This year alone, there have been 47 shootings on college, high school, and elementary school campuses. This catalog of devastation keeps growing.

The Only Hope We Have

We live in a broken world, and we're a people in need of hope. The truth is, the only hope that we have out of the mess we're in is through Jesus. No legislation, no politician, no act of government is going to fix where we are today. The only thing that is going to get us where we want to go is Jesus.

Jesus promised we could count on difficult days like these. In John 16:33, He said, "Here on Earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

If there's a way out of the fear, out of the darkness, out of the questions, out of the sadness—that way is Jesus. The way of Jesus is dripping with hope. It's dripping with life. It's the promise that things don't have to be like this.

How to Follow Jesus in a Broken World

In Matthew 4:18-20, we see a powerful example of what it means to follow Jesus:

"One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew, throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, 'Come follow me and I will show you how to fish for people.' And they left their nets at once and they followed him."

From this story, we can learn four crucial steps to following Jesus in our broken world:

1. Listen

Peter and Andrew had likely known about Jesus for a year before this moment. They had been listening to His teaching, watching His interactions, and developing a relationship with Him. They were paying attention to what God was doing.

What conversations keep coming up in your life? What problems do you find yourself caring about? What opportunities keep appearing that you keep dismissing?

2. Do Something

It's not enough to have good intentions or say all the right things. Following Jesus means our lives need to be oriented toward Him day after day.

You don't have to quit your job tomorrow or sell everything you own to follow Jesus. You can start by finding something in the here and now that you can do to take a step toward who God wants you to be.

3. Take a Risk

Following Jesus is always risky because it requires doing things counter to our culture. If your life blends in perfectly with the world around you, you may not be living the God-centered life you think you are.

When is the last time your faith led you to take a risk? When is the last time you did something that made you think, "I don't know how this is going to work out"?

4. Surrender All

Eventually, the disciples had to leave everything behind. They couldn't just make accommodations for small risks along the way. They surrendered everything because they had seen enough of Jesus to trust Him.

Have you seen enough of Jesus to trust Him? Have you seen enough to say yes to Him?

Putting It Into Practice

If you've looked at the happenings of the world this week and thought, "What a mess. I just don't know what to do," here's the answer: Begin to follow Jesus. Make accommodations for the things of God in your life over everything else.

For some of us, that means logging off social media and stopping the doom scrolling. For others, it means refusing to take the rage bait. Maybe it means finding more reliable news sources or connecting with people who can hold you accountable.

My hope and prayer for you is that as the country despairs, you will live with hope and be a hope-bearer as you take Jesus into your world. Make a difference in the name of Jesus Christ because your faith is your top priority.

Whatever your next step is, take it.

Ryan Schreckenghaust

My name is Ryan Schreckenghaust and I’m the Lead Pastor at The Summit Church. Lee’s Summit is my hometown and I love connecting with people to tell them about who Jesus is.

I am a graduate of William Jewell College and, after changing my major countless times, felt God’s nudge to invest my life in the work of the local church. I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Psychology. I then attended Rockbridge Seminary where I earned the Master of Ministry Leadership degree.

I was licensed to the Gospel Ministry in 2003, ordained as a Pastor/Elder in 2013, licensed as Local Church Pastor in the United Methodist Church in 2019, and completed the United Methodist Course of Study in 2021.

I have worked at several churches over the last 20 years where I served in roles such as Student Ministry Pastor, Creative Arts Pastor, and Executive Pastor. I’ve also worked professionally as a social media strategist in the marketing department at a Fortune 500 company.

I’ve been married to my wife Rebekah for more than 20 years. Rebekah is a school counselor at a local middle school. Together we have two boys, Jackson and Camden, and a Weimaraner named Poppy. I love time with my family, reading and watching my favorite sports teams!