Many today are perplexed and distressed by the news of one nation invading another for no reason other than control and power.  This is concerning but it is not surprising.  People are inherently evil.  We hope that leaders of countries would act in the best interest of humanity but at the end of the day evil is selfish. 
 
Do we give up?  What keeps me going?  God gave me encouragement from the reading of Psalm 25. 
 
To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust, Do not let me be ashamed; Do not let my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed. Psalm 25:1-3
 
First, I wait for God.  The Psalmist tells us, “Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed.” Personally, today I want action.  I want response.  I want our government to fix the problem.  But humanity cannot snuff out evil.  I rest in the knowledge that, “Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.” We must do our part to help and resist with the full understanding that many evil leaders will not face their ultimate punishment until they leave this world. 
 
Turn to me and be gracious to me, For I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses.  Psalm 25:16,17
 
Second, I go to God.  The Psalmist said, “For I am lonely and afflicted.”  Even King David felt alone and overwhelmed by the evil of this world.  He said, “The troubles of my heart are enlarged.” When we feel that life is out of our control we will feel alone and hopeless.  The weight of the darkness of evil can break us if it is all we know.
 
One of the challenges today is that we are consumed with information.  We know more about evil than we do about God.  We need to be informed but we cannot be consumed with information.  Ask God to turn to you through His Word.  Ask God to turn to you through music.  Ask God to turn to you through discussion with brothers and sisters.  Ask God to turn to you through worship. 
 
Look upon my affliction and my trouble And forgive all my sins. Look upon my enemies, for they are many, And they hate me with violent hatred. Guard my soul and deliver me; Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You. Psalms 25:18-20
 
Third, I look within.  These are not verses to inspire guilt.  The Psalmist has hope.  Our sins are forgiven even amid “affliction and my trouble.” My sins are not the cause of the evil of others.   But I recognize that I too am a sinner.  I call upon God to address the evil in this world while recognizing my own sinfulness and salvation. Nothing can take away the forgiveness of God. I can take refuge in God because I know that only through salvation will evil be eliminated.
 
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You.  Psalms 25:21
 
Fourth, my righteous response.  I cannot change the world.  I cannot change my city. I cannot change my church. God’s plan is not for me to change this world.  God’s plan is for me to be a light of “integrity and uprightness.” Will this stop the invasion of another country? Will this end violence in my community? Will this end inequity? What would happen if Christians throughout the world were living “integrity and uprightness”.  We have stopped living “integrity and uprightness” and waiting for God. 
 
What do I learn from this Psalm?

1. Wait for God to deal with evil even if I never personally see the result.
2. I am informed about evil but not consumed with information about evil.  I intentionally set aside time to be filled with God through His Word, music, discussion to bring me out of despair.
3. I realize my own sinfulness which is no different than the evil of this world.  God’s forgiveness of me points me to the ultimate answer for evil in this world.
4. I look to God for my righteous response.  I can be used to change a small piece of this world through “integrity and uprightness” waiting for God to use my life.