I’ve had conversations lately with people I care deeply about—friends who have been cheerleaders in my life for years, often believing in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. But as we’ve talked, I could hear the weight they’re carrying. Despite successful careers and many accomplishments, they feel stuck, disconnected, and maybe even lost.

Life hasn’t turned out the way they expected and their hearts have been fed a steady diet of the world’s chaos through news and social media. They want the world to change, but they feel powerless to make it happen.

Maybe that sounds familiar to you.

The Problem with Feeding on Emptiness

Here’s what I’ve learned: we become what we consume. When we constantly feed our hearts, minds, and souls with the brokenness of this world—the endless cycle of outrage, fear, and despair served up by media and social platforms—we shouldn’t be surprised when we feel broken ourselves.

The apostle Paul warned about this very thing: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Sound like the world you see on your news feed?

But Paul doesn’t leave us there. He tells us to “have nothing to do with such people”—and I believe that includes the endless stream of voices trying to fill us with their version of truth, their outrage, their despair.

There’s Another Way

When my now-husband and I had our first “coffee” (we didn’t call it a date because we weren’t sure what it was at the time), something beautiful happened. We were discussing the roles of men and women in marriage. He had his Bible with him. Instead of sharing our opinions or what we’d been taught, He came over beside me, knelt down, and we both looked at the Bible together. He showed me what God’s Word actually said about marriage.

We didn’t have a conversation about our opinions about marriage or even what we thought the Bible said about marriage. We had a discussion about the black and white of what was written in Scripture.

In that moment, I saw something profound: two people, side by side, looking at something outside of ourselves—the Truth, something that dates back thousands of years—and finding unity not in our own opinions, but in the undeniable Truth of God’s Word.

There is power when we turn to God’s Word instead of relying on human opinion. This is what real unity looks like—not the fragile agreement that comes from shared opinions, but the solid foundation that comes from standing together on God’s eternal Word.

The Source of True Peace

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

If you’re feeling lost and disconnected, maybe it’s time to stop leaning on your own understanding—or the understanding of talking heads, influencers, and the endless parade of human opinions. Perhaps it’s time to trust in something bigger, something truer, something that actually has the power to bring peace.

Jesus offers us something the world never can: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippals 4:7).

This peace doesn’t depend on circumstances. It’s not a peace that requires the world to get its act together first. It’s a peace that transcends understanding—meaning even when life doesn’t make sense, even when people disappoint us, even when the news is terrible, we can have peace that guards our hearts and minds.

A Simple Challenge

Many people dismiss the Bible as outdated or impractical, but it is and always has been incredibly relevant and it addresses many of the issues we encounter even today. One simple way to begin engaging with Scripture is to read one chapter of Proverbs each day for 31 days—there are 31 chapters, so it works out perfectly for a month.

We believe what’s written about Einstein without question, even though we never knew him personally. We trust historical accounts of figures from centuries past. Yet when it comes to Jesus—the most historically documented figure in human history—we suddenly become skeptical.

You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck

If you’re reading this and you feel stuck, disconnected, or lost, I want you to know that there is hope. You don’t have to keep feeding on the things that are making you sick. You don’t have to stay trapped in the cycle of despair that comes from looking to broken people and broken systems for answers.

There is a God who loves you deeply, who knows your name, who sees your pain, and who offers you peace that doesn’t depend on your circumstances. There is a Savior who died to bridge the gap between you and perfect love. There is a Word that has been bringing life to weary souls for thousands of years.

“The order of authority is: Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:3). There is a divine order, a source of Truth and authority that stands above the chaos of human opinion.

Take the First Step

Maybe you’ve been hurt by the church or Christians in the past. I can understand that pain. But don’t let human failure keep you from the perfect love of God. Don’t let the scandals and mistakes of people rob you of the peace that comes from knowing Jesus.

Start small. Read a Proverb a day. Ask God to reveal to you who He truly is. Stop feeding on the poison of endless negativity and start nourishing yourself with words that bring life.

You don’t have to stay where you are. You don’t have to remain stuck. There is a path to peace. It starts with turning away from the world’s empty promises and turning toward the One who said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

You are not alone. You are deeply loved. And there is hope—real hope—waiting for you. His name is Jesus Christ.

What would happen if, for just 31 days, you fed your soul on wisdom instead of worry? What would change if you spent more time in God’s Word than in the world’s chaos? There’s only one way to find out.

About Christy Mendelow

Christy Mendelow is a Certified Christian Coach and Teacher who serves men and women walking through life’s defining moments. With warmth, integrity, and clarity, Christy brings a trusted presence and a Biblically grounded coaching approach that aligns with professional standards and centers on your growth in Christ.

She adheres to the core competencies of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the International Christian Coaching Association (ICCA), providing a reflective space for discovery, insight, and forward movement.

Whether coaching, teaching, or co-leading Courageous Christianity with her husband, Colonel Richard J. Mendelow (Ret), Christy is committed to helping others live lives rooted in Biblical truth.

For more information, visit ChristyMendelow.com.