Although it would be nice to think that everything in life is wonderful, it is not reality.  Since the world first rebelled against God, nothing here is absolutely perfect.  God's creation, however beautiful, is always defective in some way especially when it comes to human relationships (Romans 8:22-23).  That is why Jesus was preparing His trainee apostles for the immense hardships they and the church would face before His second coming (Luke 21:12-19).  And He straightforwardly predicted that international hostility and natural disasters would be the normal environment for gospel proclamation.

The same hatred by which Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4:1-12) is still maliciously alive everywhere in the world and, unfortunately, within the church also (James 4:1-3).  Wherever the Lord Jesus is most honoured, Satan's work is active to slander Him and try to tear down what He is building (1 Peter 5:8).  Jesus did not want the confidence of the church to be shaken either by war or natural disasters.  Earthquakes, famine and pandemic plague have often claimed more lives than war.  And yet God uses all these dreadful episodes to teach us not to look to the world for our salvation, but to the coming again of Christ.

Some like to argue that God either cannot exist, nor cannot care for His world - if such terrible things happen.  But the opposite is true.  His loving care is seen by sending us a Saviour who willingly submitted Himself to the worst that earth could throw at Him.  Yet He rose from the dead: and that is also the hope of every believer and motivation for holy living (Titus 2:11-14).  In other words, this world is not all that there is.  It is just a small, pale, spoiled sample of the infinitely greater glories of the new heavens and new earth which will be right in every way for ever (Revelation 21:1-5).

Putting all our energies into getting the world right will prove to be a frustratingly futile exercise.  Although we certainly have a huge responsibility to manage the world wisely as good stewards, we cannot ultimately save the planet and the planet cannot save us.  But Jesus can!  And when He comes again there will be a new earth: as the Apostle Peter said, "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13).  So, do not be discouraged when the world goes wrong - Jesus has told us that we must expect that.  Let us draw our encouragement from the promise of His return and, in the meantime, be confident in His promises and His ability to keep us safe through the moral corruption which impregnates every part of this world (1 Peter 1:3-4).