Yes, the World is Ending.
Ever since I can remember, people have been saying that the world is going to end soon. This statement has been used frequently, both in the church and society. As I look out into the world today with the intensity of the struggle, it appears even more prevalent. The reality mixed with fear of the world ending lingers over my head like a thunderous cloud waiting to pour rain. While I am no stranger to the statement and a believer that the world, as we know it, will eventually end and a new – more perfect – world will take place, I have to admit that I am not sure if I am ready just yet. I mean, I am not scared of what is to come after this world ends, but there are so many things that I still want to accomplish and experience in this realm. And though no one knows when the world will end, it seems closer and closer (look at the frequency of struggle in the world).
With this observation and the constant talk of the end, I think it has weighed on me heavier than I should allow. For a couple of months, I have felt at a standstill in terms of dreams. I used to dream extravagantly, and now they seem to have ended. Or rather, I let them. Then last week, as I was witnessing the hurricane in New Orleans, the chaos in Afghanistan, and so much more tragic news, I noticed that I was carrying the weight of the world and the signs of its end on my shoulders. I tied up my hopes and dreams in these signs, somehow subconsciously deeming my dreams unimportant, impossible, and subject to the lapse in time. I thought, “why does it even matter what I dream of if we most likely won’t be here to witness the fruition?” With the doubt of my dreams ever prospering, I succumbed to settling. My mind shifted from these bigger-than-life dreams that were exciting and motivating to “maybe I should just get comfortable and become content with where I am now because the world is going to end soon.” However, in all honesty, I knew this mindset was not doing me any good. Like I try to do with all of my feelings, I permitted myself to feel what I was feeling, but with the intent that I would not remain there forever. After church, I allowed myself to start dreaming again despite whatever the outcome may be. And although I am not sure when the world will end or if all of my dreams will ever come true, I am thinking highly of the possibility that they can – and some will.
As I live through these enthralling days, my view of this tainted world and the daunting notion that the world is ending soon cannot hold more weight than my dreams or the notion that dreams do come true. As long as I am breathing, I should be dreaming. And that is enough justification that there is still time, despite the world ending.