When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart — And You're Just Trying to Breathe

When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart — And You're Just Trying to Breathe

Some days, I wake up and it’s already heavy.

Before I’ve even gotten out of bed — before coffee, before I’ve checked the news or heard a word from anyone — I feel the weight. A quiet pressure in my chest. A dull ache in my spirit. A question that surfaces without permission:
“What’s going to happen next?”

Maybe you’ve felt it too.

It’s the fear that things are unraveling — politically, environmentally, spiritually. It’s the sense that everything is loud, divided, uncertain, and slipping just a little further out of our control. And in moments like that, peace can feel far away. Grief can creep in quietly. Anger too. Or just a bone-deep exhaustion.

And if you’ve felt that way — you are not alone. I’ve been there. I still go there. But I’ve also learned something in those dark and disorienting spaces:

Even in this — especially in this — God is near.

Jesus Wasn’t “Fine” Either

There’s this moment in Scripture that always makes me stop and breathe: the night Jesus was betrayed.

He knew what was coming — the arrest, the trial, the agony. And what did He do? He didn’t distract Himself. He didn’t numb out. He didn’t rush to fix anything.

He grieved. He prayed. He wept. He asked if there was another way. He was vulnerable with the Father — so vulnerable that His sweat became like drops of blood.

Jesus didn’t avoid the fear. He brought it into communion. And somehow, in that surrender, He was strengthened. He was still afraid, but He was grounded. Rooted in love.

That’s what I want. And that’s what I believe is possible for all of us — even when the world feels like it’s spinning.

Coping With the Chaos: What Helps Me Stay Grounded

I’m not here to give you a ten-step plan to inner peace or pretend I’ve mastered stillness. But here are a few things that have helped me breathe again — not perfectly, but tenderly.

1. Let yourself feel it — and bring it to God

Don’t bottle it up. Don’t spiritualize it away. God isn’t asking you to be a soldier — He’s inviting you to be a child. Honest. Raw. Real. Whether it’s through tears, journaling, whispered prayers, or just sitting in silence, offer Him your fear. Offer Him your grief. He can hold it.

2. Limit your exposure, not your compassion

You don’t have to be plugged into the news cycle 24/7 to care. Being informed is important — being consumed is not. Choose small windows of time to check in. Then turn it off, and let God remind you of the bigger picture.

3. Create sacred pauses throughout your day

Light a candle. Read a single Psalm. Breathe deeply with your hand over your heart. Step outside and feel the sun on your skin. These tiny pauses can reset your nervous system — and make space for peace to re-enter.

4. Anchor yourself in truth

Scripture is a lifeline when the world feels noisy. One verse I return to again and again is Isaiah 26:3:
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
Not perfect people. Not people who have it all figured out. Just those who are willing to keep turning their eyes back to Him.

5. Stay soft — and be a presence of peace

It’s tempting to go numb, shut down, or give up. But the world doesn’t need more fear or more outrage — it needs people who are calm, loving, and rooted in something deeper. That’s how we carry the light. That’s how we shift the atmosphere around us.

6. Surround yourself with soul-safe people

Isolation amplifies fear. We all need at least one person who can say, “Me too” — someone who won’t offer quick fixes but will sit with us and speak life when we forget who we are. If you don’t have that person yet, pray for them. God is good at sending just the right people at just the right time.

You Are Not Alone — and You Are Not Powerless

If the world feels like too much right now, you don’t need to feel ashamed. You’re human. You’re empathetic. You’re awake. That’s not weakness — that’s sacred sensitivity.

But you are also more than the fear. More than the grief. You are held by a God who is not shaken. And even when it feels like everything around you is falling apart, you are not falling apart — you are being carried.

So today, take a breath. Speak honestly. Light a candle. Hold your peace close. And if you can, pass it on to someone else who needs it.

Because even now — especially now — the world needs your light.

And God is still in control.