You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.  Matthew 24:6-8, NIV

Sometimes the world can feel shaky. Things change fast — jobs, health, even the headlines we wake up to. It’s easy to feel unsure or afraid, like the ground beneath us might give way.  That’s how the disciples must have felt when Jesus told them the temple would fall (Mt. 24:2). The temple was the center of their faith, the symbol of God’s presence with His people. Hearing that it would be destroyed must have sounded like the end of everything they knew.

But Jesus wasn’t trying to frighten His followers — He was preparing them. He wanted them to see beyond what human hands had built for God to instead hold on to God Himself.  

So how exactly are we supposed to see all the global calamity around us and the struggles closer to home without being panicked or troubled (Mt. 24:6)?  

In Matthew 24:8, Jesus actually compared the signs of our crumbling world to "birth pains" — signs that something new is being born. In other words, all the hard things we see — the confusion, the fear, the sadness — are reminders that God’s promises and plans are still unfolding, that His kingdom is just around the corner. So even when it feels like everything is falling apart, God is actually bringing something new into being.

In chaos and sorrow we’re reminded that Jesus is coming soon.

When the love of many grows cold (Mt. 24:12), we can know that we’ll soon see our King (Lk. 21:28).

That’s good news, the “gospel of the kingdom” (Mt. 24:14) that we can be part of sharing with others in how we live and love through life’s ups and downs.  That’s the good news that helps us “endure to the end” (Mt. 24:13) and keeps us abiding in Jesus.

This week, if the news of the world feels heavy, let’s remember the good news of the Coming King.  If something at home or school feels too big, let’s keep finding our strength in the One who holds steady when everything else is shaky.  

🌿 Small Group/Family Reflection

Take a few quiet minutes to talk or pray about these together:

1. What are some things that make our world (or our hearts) feel unsteady right now?
2. Jesus said the troubles of this world are like birth pains. What might God be bringing to life, even in those unsteady situations? 
3. What helps you abide in Christ — not just survive, but stay anchored — when everything around you shakes?
4. How can we remind one another this week that Jesus is our steady hope?

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