Contentment

I recently attended a Teeks (Auckland native singer) concert at the Auckland Town Hall. The song that spoke to me the most was “Whakaaria Mai” (“How Great Thou Art” sung in Maori and English) alongside Hollie Smith. It was an incredibly emotive performance. The song was for those affected by the recent tragedies in Christchurch. He also sold his recordings at the concert, where all the proceeds went to the Muslim communities in Christchurch.

New Zealand has shown a variety of support for the victim’s families. There are online pages to donate to, fund-raising events, and opporunities to pay one’s respects at gatherings organized throughout New Zealand. This is a country that many people forget to put on their maps; it’s isolated, in its own corner of the world. But nothing can exempt us from the evil of hate in its ugliest form. In times such as these it’s clear to see how out of control our world is—we’re all a little lost in the map of navigating life.

So how does one stay grounded in times of uncertainty? How does a country recover from such great loss? Put simply, unity. We find contentment not in ourselves and our own inner workings but in the sense of community, family, and above all, God. David asked: “For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?” (2 Sam. 22:32).

When the world is spinning out of control, we can find security and peace when we look to God.