Nothing makes sense? Go to the solid, true place to find meaning

Sometimes nothing makes sense in life. At times, we singles can feel overwhelmed, as if the whole world is going crazy.

The planet is awash in violence, injustice, poverty, suffering, and death. When you focus on those negative events, it seems as if chaos is ruling. Sometimes it can feel that way in your personal life too.

Is it true? Are things going out of control?

The problem with the news

For several years I worked as a newspaper reporter, and I often heard the complaint from readers that our paper only published bad news.

Of course, that's what made the strongest impression on people. The paper published plenty of positive news, but it wasn't as shocking or memorable as the "bad" stories. My reply then, which still holds true today, is that "bad" news is out of the ordinary. That's one of the things that makes it news.

When thousands of people live in a city and get along, it's news when someone commits murder. When thousands of people drive safely, a traffic accident is news. When most government officials work hard and serve their constituents conscientiously, it's news when one is caught being dishonest.

When you understand why something is news and why an editor chose to report that story, it puts news reports into their proper perspective.

More and faster news coverage

We tend to forget the technological advances in the past several years. Not only can TV news crews rely on satellites to beam video from all over the planet, we can also find almost instant coverage on the Internet.

When a bridge collapsed in Minnesota, USA, in August 2007, TV news shows featured many photos of the disaster that people had taken with their cell phones. News coverage is not only faster now, but relentless--and tragedy seems to dominate.

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Add to that the hundreds of TV channels that are on the air 24 hours a day, competing for ratings, and you have repetition of disturbing stories and sensationalistic slants to try to pull the biggest audience. Part of the problem is the treatment of the news.

When nothing makes sense at home

Sometimes our personal lives seem to fall apart. Someone walks out, or our job ends abruptly, or a loved one dies without warning. Serious illness can turn our world upside down in a moment. We try to wrestle some meaning out of the situation, but nothing makes sense.

We ask God "Why?" and don't get an answer. Things happen randomly, seemingly with no reason. We get confused because we appreciate order and predictability. Something we thought would always remain the same is suddenly gone.

It's easy to get depressed when that happens. You feel like giving up. All your efforts come to nothing.

Home alone, we singles can replay events in our mind until we become obsessed with them.

It's all following the schedule

If you think nothing makes sense, in one regard you're right, because the Bible predicts that things on Earth will grow worse. I'm not a Bible prophecy nut, but the Bible clearly says that events will continue to deteriorate right up to Christ's second coming.

Most of us think that the downward spiraling is right on schedule! That shouldn't be a cause for despair, however. We have to live in this world, and though we may be upset and discouraged by it, we worship a God who is unchanging and reliable.

How to make sense of things

The Bible is our rock, in more ways than one. The less sense the world seems to make, the more sense the Word of God makes. Jesus stands out as a totally reliable, authentic voice, no matter what else is going on around us.

One of the wonders of the Bible is its timelessness. It's as relevant today as it was 1,000 years ago--even more relevant as we grow closer to the End Times.

Regular Bible reading will ground you in one of the few things that does make sense. And if you use a study Bible, you'll see how to apply these unchanging truths to your personal situation today.

When we see people on TV behaving wickedly and stupidly, we can read the Bible and see that kind of behavior thousands of years ago. If nothing makes sense in our world, it does in God's.

Focusing on God is the key. The Supreme Reality always makes perfect sense and is the ultimate authority on right and wrong. Go to him when the world seems to be going crazy. Focus on his promises when your own life feels out of control.

God is true. He proves himself trustworthy. But most importantly, he brings us to himself through his son Jesus Christ. When if feels as if nothing makes sense, Jesus is the one thing you can always, always count on.

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