All Is Not Well — Our Bible App

Day 1 of 5: Our World is Broken

All is not well in our world. An obvious statement, I know, but we need to remind each other of this truth from time to time. The world is not as it should be. The pain, the hurt, the oppression, the sadness... It’s not right.

Children—along with their mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers—are starving as powerful individuals amass billions of dollars for themselves.

People are sick and dying because they can’t afford basic healthcare. At the same time, companies are claiming huge profits from medical supplies and procedures.

Every day, nations around the world find new ways to deter and dismiss immigrants. Every day, people in our communities find new ways to ignore their neighbors who have no homes.

Young people are bullied because who they are triggers the insecurity of others.

Christian churches criticize and ostracize LGBTQIA+ people because they can’t fathom faith and queer identity being compatible.

Even the resilient natural ecosystems around us cannot withstand humankind’s greed for more, better, faster, and easier.

We live in a broken world, and we need to remind ourselves that it is broken, lest we start to believe that this is how it’s always been and always will be. Lest we start to believe that God intended this brokenness.

Young children are experts at questioning the suffering and injustice around them. My daughter is old enough to understand the (unfortunate) societal expectation that we don’t point out adversity in polite company. But when she was younger, she would ask questions: Why did your grandma die of cancer? Why aren’t your aunt and uncle married anymore? Why is that person outside the grocery store asking for food and money? Why don’t some people have a place to live?

These are questions with complicated answers, but I don’t think we should shield our kids from the complexity. I also think it’s crucial to tell them that this is not the way it should be. And we need to remind each other — when we see pain, oppression, loneliness, or abuse — that these things are not right or good.

There is an appropriate time and place for theological discussion of suffering, and we need to discuss how to alleviate it. With these few words, though, I don't want to try to rationalize suffering or explain its causes. And I certainly don't want to offer pithy pious phrases in response to trauma.

I simply want to acknowledge that all is not well with the world, and we cannot fix it.

So let’s just start there. Look around you. Identify the hardships in your life, among your family members, in your community, and in the wider world. There is a lot of suffering, and it can feel overwhelming. You can’t fix it all. For now, just acknowledge the reality of each hardship and the hurt that it causes. Then remind yourself—aloud if it helps—that this is not right or good. The world is not as it should be. This is not what God intended.

Stephen Cowden

Day 1 of 5: Our World is Broken

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