I can’t seem to get away from awful news lately. The headlines are full of atrocities happening around the world. Conversations are full of shock and some fear. Could anything worse possibly happen? And then it does. Some events are simply unfortunate, such as the recent explosion in Beirut, Lebanon; others are downright evil – the worst of humanity on display.

I’ve tried avoiding the news. Ignorance is bliss, right? It only works until someone mentions the latest happening and I am drawn in by the horror of what I hear. I have tried ignoring stories – after all, they’re not my problem. But my mind will not let go, and sometimes I lay awake at night imagining what it must be like for the locals whose world is upside-down. I have felt the guilt of living in a nice house in a nice neighbourhood far removed from suffering. I get to sleep in on a Saturday morning and read a novel while so many people no longer have a home to which to return.

Even if we pay no attention to worldwide events, there is enough suffering in our own small circles – family, friends, colleagues. As a counsellor, I get to see the best and worst of people. I hear stories of bravery and tales of trauma. There are times after a counselling session that I sob.

Suffering and the impacts of evil are inevitable, so what do we do about it? It is possible to live from a place of peace while the world seems to be overturned in chaos. It is possible to believe in a good God despite the suffering – in fact, this might be our only true hope.

Some facts to remember: God is good (the epitome of Good) and He will be faithful to His promises. Until Christ returns, suffering is going to be part of life. God’s plans are not perturbed by even the “worst” sins, and He redeems suffering for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). The sin around us can be a reminder not to fear, a reminder of the sin within ourselves and our need for ongoing repentance, and an opportunity to trust God. The following guidelines are not all we can do, but they are a good start.

• Do not fear

This is one of the most common commands in the Bible and it is still what God speaks to us today. God is not afraid, and as His child you have no need to be.  The enemy loves breeding fear, mistrust, and division. By choosing to trust God amidst tragedy, you are refusing to partner with the enemy through fear. You do not function at your best when you are afraid, and there is no grace for imagined scenarios, only for reality.

Instead of fearing, your discipline must become to tune the eyes and ears of your heart to God. What words is He speaking? What is His perspective? Is there anything He is asking you to obey? It is a matter of trust. Our God has proved over history that He is 100% trustworthy. He does not change. It is up to you to trust that He will sustain you through everything. If you struggle to trust God, ask Him to show you what lies you believe about Him.

• Remember any Utopian dream is not biblical

While world peace is a noble aspiration, it is not the way history plays out, according to Jesus. When describing the end times in Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of wars, natural disasters, persecution, and distress. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword,” turning even the closest of relatives against each other (Matthew 10:34).

We are living in an era of the clash of two kingdoms. We know the kingdom of darkness loses, but it is not going down without a fight. There will be greater suffering and persecution in the years to come. Are you preparing for this? I encourage you to seek God daily, to let Him interpret history from His perspective (rather than getting overwhelmed by any human interpretation), and to “Take heart, for in this world you will have trouble, but [Jesus Christ] has overcome the world” (John 16:33).

• The worst sin is reason to glorify God

Have you heard stories of cold-hearted murder that make you shudder? I’m guessing you wanted to weep. How does that glorify God?

When we were dead in our sins, God made us alive with Christ – because of His great love for us, because of His rich mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5). Our God offers mercy to the worst of sinners. He has paid for it! That is the good news. Who our God is, is the good news. It’s because of His love, His mercy that you or I can be in relationship with Him at all.

(I write as if we can classify sin from not-so-bad to worst-ever. The truth is: any sin separates us from God and renders us dead. Do you acknowledge that your small fib is as damaging to your relationship with God as the sins you would never dream of committing? Sin always damages relationships.)

• Search your heart

It’s easy to point fingers and grumble about how situations are being handled, especially by prominent leaders. It is particularly tempting in these days of political polarisation and so many divisive issues. We are quick to chime in our two cents, but slow to listen. Quick to judge, but not many of us volunteer ourselves to be part of a solution. We are guilty of looking only to our own interests and not to the interests of others.

Instead of airing your opinions indiscriminately and defending your positions before fully understanding the opposition, God asks you to remain humble and keep a soft heart before Him. That means holding your views open-handedly and listening to what He is saying on the issue. It means being willing to be wrong or wronged. It may mean speaking up on a cause you would normally not; or being silent when it takes everything inside you not to defend yourself. It means forgiving offenses and daily repenting of your own impure motives. In a nutshell it means letting the nature of Christ radiate from your life unhindered by your earthly nature.

What does the Holy Spirit put His finger on when you ask Him to search your heart?

• Pray

You are not called to pray for every situation and every person you come across, but there are some for whom you must pray. If you are not sure where to begin, choose three friends who are going through a difficult time and pray for them. Ask God what to pray specifically – some things may surprise you. As you pray, God may impress on you to reach out to someone, to fast for a time, or to focus on one specific topic.

Over time prayer will become a natural response to everything you hear. Bring it all back to God. Some things He will impress on you to pray for more. Pray for unity over divisive issues. Pray for wisdom for leaders. Pray for courage for the right voices to speak up. Pray for grace for those enduring hard times.

If a burden is too heavy (you will feel it), it is not yours to carry. Hand it over to God – He does not need you to carry it. He knows your capacity in each season.

If you are to remain relevant in this world, you can neither bury your head in the sand nor become overwhelmed or cynical at the evil all around you. If there is greater turmoil and persecution to come, you must learn to derive your peace from God, trusting Him and looking to Him even in the face of fear. You must remind yourself that God is so glorious that He will use every situation for His glory and for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). You must grow in sensitivity to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and to His call to prayer.

You are the light of the world if you have Christ in you (Matthew 5:14). Light always overcomes the darkness. You are not at the mercy of evil. May you be encouraged today not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Your kindness, your trust in God, your prayers, your care in your community is part of overcoming evil. You are not alone. You are in the care of the very capable God Almighty who gives you the grace to live in this world at this time in your specific circumstances.