Finding Internal Peace in a Time of War

The tyrannical government of Bashar al-Assad has been overthrown. He was a brutal dictator, deserving his place in the dustbin of history. His regime mastered the art of torturing and disappearing its own citizens, ruling through fear and intimidation.

But war is rarely that clear-cut. Assad also protected one of the largest and oldest Christian communities in the Middle East. The rebels now in control are the “children” of Al Qaeda and ISIS—groups that would have no problem reducing those ancient Christian communities to dust.

So, who do we root for? Syria has long been a proxy battleground against Israel, our friend and ally. Yet the new rebels arguably hate Israel even more.

And then there’s Ukraine. We support a country that has suspended elections and has long been one of the most corrupt nations in the world, opposing a regime led by a dictator who kills journalists. How exactly are we threatened by tanks rolling through Ukrainian wheat fields?

Suddenly, what seemed black and white—“Assad is evil, Russia is bad”—turns a murky gray. Decisions about war and peace often rest in the hands of people whose sons and daughters will never bear arms, guided by the influence of lobbyists and intelligence officials. (If you haven’t already, I recommend listening to this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrJhQpvlkLA)

This isn’t new. It was the same story in Iraq when chaos reigned after Saddam’s fall, and in Afghanistan, where those we fought for decades are now more entrenched than ever.

The world is dangerous, evil, and far more complicated than the soundbites and news clips suggest. My concern: Are we ready for chaos when it inevitably comes to us? When riots spill into our streets like in France, or when women are assaulted for not dressing the “right” way? Does the average American even know how to think clearly and act decisively anymore?

Which brings me to my point. In times of chaos, in the fog of war, your #1 priority is to think critically and be ready to fight for good. Start by educating yourself. Read news from all sources—every outlet has an agenda. I’m a big believer in long-form podcasts; when someone talks enough, they reveal who they truly are. Soundbites and short interviews hide the real story. And while almost a cliche’, listen to views from all sides.

Discuss these pressing global issues with your family. Don’t assume they’re educating themselves. Make “eyes open” a way of life.

And for now, focus on what you can control. Lean into what truly matters: your faith, your family, and your own hard work and discipline. When the world crumbles, it’s the clear-thinking and hard-working who survive.

A word from St. Porphyrios when might feel focus, purpose, and clarity of thought are hard to find, and it become easy to demonize others to feel better about ourselves:

“Souls that have known pain and suffering and that are tormented by their passions win most especially the love and grace of God. It is souls such as these that become saints, and very often we pass judgment on them. Remember what Saint Paul says, ‘Where sin abounded, grace flowed even more abundantly’ (Romans 5:20). When you remember this, you will feel that these people are more worthy than you and than me. We see them as weak, but when they open themselves to God they become all love and all divine eros. Whereas previously they had acquired different habits, they now give all the power of their soul to Christ and are set on fire by Christ’s love. That is how God’s miracle works in such souls, which we regard as ‘lost’. We shouldn’t be discouraged, nor should we rush to conclusions, nor judge on the basis of superficial and external things.”