Joan Didion once wrote, “We tell stories in order to live.”
The stories that we believe shape our understanding and interaction with the world. It doesn’t matter if the story is true, but it does matter, a great deal, if we believe it to be true. People are meaning making machines. We can’t help ourselves. We are able to ascribe truth and meaning to just about anything, just ask your parents who have held on to the first pair of shoes you ever wore. But we must be careful with this ability to make our own meaning. If we are not mindful, we might end up putting too much meaning on something toxic, corrosive, or untrue. Then the toxicity of those stories will seep into every part of our lives and create a deep sense of unease. Right now, the world feels uneasy (which is putting it lightly), but the truth is that life has always felt uneasy. There has never been a time in human history without conflict or confusion (humans are also pretty good at doing that too). It is foolish to try to avoid that uneasiness because it will always be with us, but it is also foolish to believe stories that try to convince us that life is completely unmanageable.
What we need are stories of preparation, not panic. We need inputs, reminders, and communities that reinforce virtuous stories that inspire actions of faith, hope, and love. We also must accept our own failures and move through life with humility and honesty about our limitations ready to correct our errors and confess our sins. For there is a freedom that comes when we focus on what we can control and let go of that we cannot.
So, let’s talk about stories. Pause for a moment and be reminded of your ability to make meaning, and let’s discover, together, what best to attach that meaning to.
The Goodness of God
Start with stories about God. This might sound like a “no-brainer”, but it’s not trust me. Most of the time we end up with God after getting totally overwhelmed and stressed out about the weight of life. We are more likely to call out for help instead of resting in God’s constant goodness. So, start with God and the understanding that from God comes a cosmic kind of goodness that can be know, felt, and shared. The foundation of any story worth believing is the character of God. If we believe that God is distant, uncaring, or capricious, then our response to uncertainty will be fear. But the story of the Bible is organized to help us see the goodness of God.
Psalm 145:9 tells us, “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” This is bedrock for faith building. Regardless of what headlines scream or what our anxious minds whisper. When we believe in God’s goodness, we begin to see the world differently. Instead of interpreting every difficulty as chaos or doom, we recognize that God is at work even in hardship. Romans 8:28 affirms, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
A life and mind rooted in God’s goodness does not deny the world’s brokenness but refuses to be ruled by it. Jesus once promised, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Our role is not to panic at trouble, but to trust the One who has already overcome it.
You Have a Choice
More information does not mean more truth. Just because we have access to a steady flow of updates from all around the world does not mean that we see the world more clearly. In fact, more information can be the cause for more anxiety, isolation, and fear. The news cycle thrives on fear, social media amplifies outrage, and our own insecurities whisper narratives of inadequacy. But here’s the truth: we get to choose what we believe and what we think about.
Philippians 4:8 gives us a clear instruction: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” What you think about is up to you. What you listen to, believe, and give your time to is up to you. This is a warning and an invitation. We must not hand over our minds machines that only want our attention, but we also must choose what to set our minds on to live with confidence and peace.
This requires filtering reality through the lens of virtues and values. Jesus calls us to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16), which means we must discern what we let into our hearts and minds. Are we consuming media that keeps us anxious or curating inputs that cultivate peace? Are we engaged in conversations that build up or tear down? You have a choice, always, about what you do with your thoughts.
We do not control the world’s events, but we do control our response. And our response, when rooted in honesty and humility, can bring peace to both us and those around us.
Contribution is Better than Criticism
Getting involved means more than getting into the comment section. It’s easy to have an opinion, but it’s hard to live out your values. The world doesn’t need more critics, but we do need contribution that is fueled by action and love.
James 1:19 reminds us, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Everyone. Not just the people we disagree with. Instead of adding to the noise of complaints, we are called to be people of honest action. The book of Proverbs tells us, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). What we say matters, but what we do matters more.
Think about Jesus. He lived in a politically tense and socially divided time (sound familiar?). The Roman Empire ruled with brutality, religious leaders were corrupt, and suffering was everywhere. But Jesus’ response was not to stand on the street corner shouting “isn’t this terrible!?! What have we come to!?!” Instead, Jesus got to work. He healed the sick, stood up for the oppressed, and lived his values in public. He fed the hungry, touched the untouchable, and extended grace to sinners. Jesus engaged his criticism of society through his contribution to society.
That is the example. What if, instead of getting worked up about everything wrong in the world, we asked, “What can I do about it?” What needs are represented in your community; how can you help? What is broken in your relationships, how can you heal wounds? How can you be of service? The world doesn’t need more cynics; it needs more contributors.
Prepared Not Panicked
Jesus tells a story in Matthew 7:24-27 about two builders, one who built his house on the rock and one who built on the sand. When the storm came, only one house stood firm. The difference wasn’t the storm; both men faced the same hardship. The difference was the foundation.
Being prepared means building our lives on the foundation of good stories. The kind of stories that make sense of the world and produce goodness, hope, and sacrificial contribution. Panic is the natural response when our stories tear down instead of build-up. The stories we believe in should prepare us for an uncertain world.
So how do we prepare?
- Setting your mind on God’s Goodness – Jesus often withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16). He did this to prepare himself. He wanted to show up ready, so he started with getting his mind right. Reading Scripture, praying, and meditating on God’s goodness strengthens our hearts and minds.
- Community – We aren’t meant to do this alone. Hebrews 10:24-25 urges us to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” and to “not give up meeting together.” Surround yourself with people who encourage virtue, reinforce healthy values, and ground you in healthy responsibility.
- Steady Action – James 2:17 reminds us that faith without works is dead. When we act on what we believe like serving others, giving generously, stepping into challenges with confidence then our faith deepens, and our panic shrinks.
Being prepared is about the small daily decisions that keep us from panic. There is so much we can’t control, but we can control how prepared we are to respond to life’s uncertainties like Jesus.
Final Thoughts
The world will always have uncertainty. There will always be reasons to worry, to panic, to assume the worst. But for those who follow Jesus, we know about a better way. We have the ability to choose the stories we believe, to dwell on what is good, to contribute rather than criticize, and to stand firm in faith rather than give in to fear.
So today, let’s choose to be prepared, not panicked. Let’s choose to trust, to act, and to live with humility. Because in the end, we don’t just tell stories in order to live, we live in a way that tells the greatest story of all: that God is good, and his love endures forever.
