When you look at the news do you often feel like you’re bombarded with sadness, violence, hatefulness, immorality, greed, slander, lies, and anger?  Just talking to others about current events, or looking at social media brings the ugliness and brokenness to the fore.  You may even be experiencing some of these things in your personal life. It feels depressing and crushing and we just want to cover our eyes and ears and make it go away. Here’s what to do to experience peace in a messed up world.  (Disclaimer:  These aren’t my ideas.  These thoughts are from chapter 3 of Colossians.  You can read it here:  Colossians 3:1-16)

Things start looking up when we look up.  Make it your habit to direct your thoughts upward to God’s heavenly kingdom. Focus on the realities of heaven where God rules with our Messiah at his right hand. This takes effort to desire and pursue, to look for God’s kingdom and concentrate on the realm of God in spite of the distractions of earth. We constantly must remind ourselves that we’re part of God’s kingdom and headed for heaven. We’re no longer chained to old behaviors and thought patterns because we have new lives in Jesus. And someday we’ll experience that in full.
So we stop thinking about the things that drag us back to disobedient, broken, earthly things like immorality. We don’t need to read about that movie star’s latest sexual partner, or that gay parade, or the media’s praises of that newest transgender. Those are expressions of a kingdom we no longer belong to. We don’t buy into the philosophy that buying expensive things makes our lives better. We are no longer willing to dedicate ourselves to getting more and more at the expense of our relationships and the well being of others.
Now we are ridding our thoughts of anger so we don’t replay what that unkind person said to us, or dwell on the newest government overreach. We watch our speech, making sure we don’t tear another person down, or use inappropriate words, or lie. These are no longer expressions of our true selves. We choose to act like the changed, renewed people that Jesus died to make us. We keep learning to know God better and step by step become like him. How we started out doesn’t matter any more. We may have been privileged or ordinary, religious or heathen, educated or not, refined or not, well off or poor. Our earthly standing means nothing in view of Jesus living in us.
With this high standing as people God loves and has forgiven, we act like members of his kingdom. We think about the good of others instead of gratifying ourselves. We feel compassion and treat others with kindness whether they return the favor or not. We relate to others with humility and gentleness, never trying to get the advantage over another. Patience helps us wait for others to improve. We give others the benefit of the doubt and accept that others have faults as do we. We extend forgiveness remembering that we needed forgiveness from God.
The highest way of thinking is love. When we think of others with love, and treat them like God treats us we experience harmony. In a world gone crazy, we make an oasis of love and harmony. All the while we allow the peace from Jesus to be the controlling factor in our decision making. If we have his peace about a choice or question, we go forward. If his peace eludes us, we know we need to change direction. If we have peace with other believers, we know we’re acting as God wants. If there isn’t peace with others, we know we need to fix something.
Being thankful to God puts our thinking where it needs to be. It makes us happier and pleases God.
Thinking about Scriptures during the day fills us with richness instead of empty, worthless things. Helping each other learn about God whether by spontaneous conversations or prepared lessons as well as giving wise advice is the obligation of all for each other. Singing together is an act of worship to God. And no matter what we’re doing, we should always do and say what Jesus would with gratitude to God.

When we feel things are getting out of control, we remember Who is in control.
When we’re bombarded with human opinions, we can go to the Scriptures to find out what our Creator thinks.
When we feel harried, pushed, and rushed we can think positively about the situation with a new perspective from God.
When we’re tempted to think differently about a fellow believer based on their ethnicity, education, or finances, we remember we are all equals in this life of faith.
When other things, even good things start to push Jesus out of our thoughts, we remember that he is what counts.
Since God loves us so much, we remember to love others by treating them with tenderness and mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
With our own shortcomings in mind, we must overlook each other’s faults.
We are obligated to forgive them when they offend us because that’s how God treats us.
Instead of letting other concerns crowd out our relationships, first and foremost we must love others. This love bonds us together and brings harmony.
When chaos, worry, and fear crowd in, we can choose to allow the peace that comes from Jesus to rule your emotions and decisions.
When things are hard and when things are good, have an attitude of gratitude.
Instead of being full of busyness, anxiety, or frustration, be filled up with the truth about Jesus. . . how much he loves us, takes care of us, and has an ongoing good plan for us.
Help each other along the path by teaching and counseling each other with God’s wisdom. Sometimes by example, and sometimes with words, but always with gentleness and patience.
Even if you can’t carry a tune like me, we can still let music help us raise our thoughts and hearts to God in gratitude.
Through each day, the mundane work, our interactions with family, friends and strangers, the fun, the challenges, the joy and the pain, let’s reflect Jesus. Let’s do and say what he would. All the while being grateful to God.

Think about the heavenly things:
Remember Jesus has honor and authority with God over all the universe
Think about heavenly things because we are now in God and citizens of his heavenly kingdom
In the future we will experience his kingdom fully

Have nothing to do with the earthly things that oppose God:
Sexual immorality
Impurity
Lust
Evil desires
Greed (putting things above God)
Anger
Rage
Malicious behavior
Slander
Dirty language
Lying

Instead, act in your new identity in Jesus
Learn about our Creator
Be renewed to become like God
Recognize the equality of all believers
Make Jesus our top priority
Be compassionate (tenderhearted mercy)
Be kind
Be humble
Be gentle
Be patient
Make allowance for each other
Forgive
Love
Live in peace
Be thankful
Let Christ’s teachings fill you
Teach and counsel each other with wisdom from Jesus
Sing to God with thankful hearts
Act and speak as Jesus would
Give thanks to God