Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. [5] Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; [6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
[8] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. [9] What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9 ESV)
The world feels like it’s spiraling into chaos. Conflicts rage across the globe—in the Middle East, between Russia and Ukraine, and within our own borders as political upheaval and economic disparity strain the very fabric of society. Fear and anger seem to drive the day, and everywhere you look, there is mistrust, division, and a sense that we’ve lost our way.
It doesn’t help that the extremes on both the right and the left dominate the conversation. On one side, there is the loud insistence on rigid tradition, nationalism, and distrust of institutions. On the other, there is an unyielding focus on identity, cancel culture, and a disdain for any opposing view. These extremes don’t just oppose each other—they feed off one another, pulling the center further apart and leaving no room for dialogue, let alone solutions.
The Overton Window—a term coined by Joseph P. Overton—refers to the range of ideas and policies that are considered politically and socially acceptable at any given time. This range is not fixed; it shifts based on public perception, media influence, and the actions of influential figures or movements. When the Overton Window shifts dramatically, as it has in recent years, ideas that were once moderate can suddenly appear extreme, while previously fringe views may gain mainstream acceptance. This phenomenon often leaves moderates stranded, mischaracterized, and marginalized.
In this environment, fear rules the day. Fear of being canceled, fear of betrayal, fear of losing ground to “the other side.” It’s as though we’ve forgotten how to listen, how to work together, how to build something lasting and good. We’ve chosen to fight over every scrap of ideological territory instead of searching for the common ground that could unite us. And the cost of this division is staggering: broken communities, paralyzed governments, and a society that feels increasingly unstable and unsafe.
But there is another way.
For me, as a Christian, the path forward begins with staying engaged. Disengagement—whether out of fear or frustration—is not an option. I need to be a voice of peace, forgiveness, and love in a culture that seems bent on tearing itself apart. That doesn’t mean retreating from the chaos; it means stepping into it with courage and an olive branch in hand. It means trusting God for justice while leading with grace.
Paul's words to the Philippians can really help us in this time- it is a great verse to help us navigate the gray.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. [5] Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
To navigate the gray, I believe we must be forceful and courageous enough to speak out against the extremes on both the left and the right. This isn’t about taking the easy road of criticizing “the other side” while excusing our own—it’s about being honest enough to call out the wrong wherever we see it. And it’s about promoting values that unify rather than divide: free speech, the welfare of others, and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. This is REASONABLE.... a lot of what we are contending with in our world right now is UN-reasonable.
And we can do this with a positive spirit- REJOICE!- The Lord is at hand.... nothing He allows will be beyond His eternal control.
I’m convinced that the root of this crisis isn’t political—it’s moral and spiritual. No government policy or election outcome can heal what’s broken. That healing, I believe, is found in following the teachings of Jesus: loving our neighbors, seeking justice tempered by mercy, and walking humbly with God. But even as I hold to this conviction, I know I must respect the dialogue of the marketplace. We need spaces where people of all beliefs can agree to stand for peace, non-violence, and a society of laws that protect people, their families, their freedoms, and their property.
The first steps are simple but not easy. They involve listening more than speaking, seeking understanding instead of assuming the worst, and extending grace even to people where it’s undeserved. They involve staying engaged even when the work feels impossible, and trusting that small acts of kindness and courage can ripple outward in ways we may never see. And above all, they involve holding fast to hope—hope that light can still pierce the darkness, and that the world, though mad, is not beyond redemption.
As we engage the culture, we have a roadmap for collective values and the promotion of the common good under the common grace of the Almighty.
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Our culture at large will never completely agree on a list.... but there are some obvious things we can all agree on..... if we can't rally around that, chaos will burn it all to the ground.
It's funny how we make New Year's resolutions this time of year and to be honest, they are shallow and self focused a lot of the time. And it makes sense.... "What can I do to solve issues in the UK?"
However, there are things I can do to be better, make my small community better, and hopefully our nation and world better.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
For me, I need to remember PRAYER. There are a lot of people who have given up on prayer, doubt it, mock it, and rebel against it.
But prayer is a position that I am powerless to do much good and a cry to ONE who can. It's the one thing we can all do and it has an amazing by-product.
I was challenged during the Christmas break to not write a whole bunch of resolutions, but just pick one word for 2025.
So here is mine.... PRAYER.
And if I am successful in doing that?
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
So this January, I'm going to be posting some pieces on prayer, I should have predicted the Lord was leading me this way, because He had already put some thoughts in my head on an earlier post in December-
A Post on Prayer and a Rooster's Crow
The best way to fulfill a resolution is to build in some accountability- anyone want to explore the month of January with me to flesh out a practical and sustainable practice of prayer?
Feel free to reach out - jayopsis@gmail.com
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