Anxious about the climate
If you are experiencing climate or eco-anxiety, it is important to know that you are not alone.
Fear, worry and tension are sensible responses to the environmental crises we face.
When our worries seem too much, it is important to note that this climate anxiety can cause feelings that become persistent and overwhelming, leaving people feeling burnt-out, hopeless and unable to act.
We take hope from God’s love for all of creation, including us humans. However, this hope is not an inactive one, where we step back and expect God to sort the problems out for us. It is a hope that inspires us to action, which calls us to act with love.
What brought you to this page today?
Was there a particular climate incident that has triggered this, or maybe just a long-term concern?
Here we will find ways you can offer your concerns to God. Be reassured, as Christians, we see God’s love for all of creation.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
The word translated as ‘world’ is ‘kosmon’, which is where we get the word ‘cosmos’. God loves the whole cosmos and everything within it. In this love, we find hope for ourselves and the whole of creation.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection for Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
Here is a simple prayer, say it with me:
Dear God,
We are concerned and anxious about the world.
Your world. Our world.
Be with us in our difficult times and help us to find some rest.
Help us to find hope, and to act boldly.
Amen.
Read these words from Psalm 96. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
God’s creation is meant to sing for joy, not fill us with sorrows. If you’re overwhelmed by the climate crisis now, take a moment to sit with Jesus and tell him about it.
If it is difficult talking to God, you could write it down, draw a picture or share your thoughts with God in whatever way feels most comfortable for you. Why not go outside and be with God in nature?
A prayer to put it in God’s hands.
Lord, it seems hard sometimes to know what to do.
The environmental crisis can feel overwhelming.
Help me find small ways to help;
one or two small ways in which I can make a positive impact.
Help me to find peace
in the beauty of nature,
in my family and friends,
in the boundless love you have for all creation.
Amen.
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