“Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.” Saint Teresa of Avila

I shared this prayer from Teresa recently and encouraged our church in 2026 to spend less time on news and social media and more time in prayer. (And I realize the irony in posting about this article on social media!) Teresa’s prayer is the kind of prayer we need forming our souls in an age of reactivity, fear, and blame.

But the first line of her prayer poses a problem for some, or seems to, when it says, “let nothing disturb you.” Nothing?? Aren’t there disturbing things that happen in our world? And as Christians, shouldn’t we be disturbed by them? Wasn’t Jesus disturbed by things like the mistreatment of the poor and the abuse of religious power? Shouldn’t we, likewise, be disturbed when appalling things happen in our world today? Yes and no.

Yes, in the sense that if we are walking in step with the Spirit and being transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12), the things that break the heart of God will increasingly break our own hearts. And we will find ourselves experiencing tremendous grief and sorrow at times. (Which is one of the reasons why we desperately need to learn the language of Lament in Scripture)

But no in the sense that for the Christian, the posture of the soul, is Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.” Part of the reason why we need to pray the Psalms and pray words like Teresa’s are to remind our hearts of this reality and that our peace is not so fragile! The distinguishing mark of a Christian in a fearful age is calm, faithful endurance, not outrage.

I’m wary of anyone who says Christians ought to be marked by chronic reactivity over what’s happening in our world, especially politics, and treats the degree of your outrage like some kind of spiritual litmus test over your Christian passion and convictions. Such a posture is not Spirit-led (being offended is not a fruit of the Spirit) and absent of the peace stemming from the robust confidence in God that Jesus modeled and called us to emulate.

James, the brother of Jesus, said…

Who is wise and understanding among you? (James 3:13)

And this is the claim, by the way, of almost every reactive piece of cultural or political commentary about what’s happening in our world, isn’t it? ‘I am wise! I have the answers!’

Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom… The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace–loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit… (James 3:13, 17)

Living in our current moment requires great wisdom. But how do you know the wise ones? James says they’re characterized by humility and peace, not reactivity.

How? How can we ‘keep our heads when all about us are losing theirs?’ as Rudyard Kipling said. By truly trusting that “God is our refuge and strength… Therefore, we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea!” (Psalm 46)

If we believe what we profess to believe (which so much of the time we struggle to!) then we ought to be the most non-anxious people on the planet. And from that place, as we engage in activity and activism (because we still do), we can do so from a “quiet center,” to quote Henri Nouwen. Because our hope – our lived confidence and security – is in, as Teresa says, the God who never changes.