John-David

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just want to escape.

Life throws tough circumstances, awkward situations, and hard questions our way; and honestly, there are times where my first instinct is to run from them—mentally, emotionally, even spiritually. I’ve got my go-to shows and games that make it easy to check out: Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, The Incredibles, National Treasure. I can pop any of those on and put my brain on cruise control. Or I’ll pick up a controller and get lost in Horizon, Assassin’s Creed, or Spider-Man. Instant escape.

Last week, I talked to our students about that very tendency. We live in a world that makes it incredibly easy to disconnect. Waiting in line? Open a mindless game or scroll through a favorite app. Feeling uncomfortable or overwhelmed? Distract yourself. It’s so common now that we can go entire days without truly reflecting or dealing with what’s going on in our hearts and minds.

But while escapism can dull the pain for a moment, it doesn’t solve anything—and swinging the other way into full-blown worry isn’t the answer either. Obsessing over problems, replaying offenses, or living in a cycle of anxiety can be just as harmful. It is easy to lay down at night and spend hours in worry. It is easy to miss what is happening in front of us because our mind is caught up in worry. 

So what’s the alternative?

At Half-Time last week, we turned to Philippians 4, where Paul gives us a powerful reminder:

“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”(ESV, Phil. 4:5b–7)

The source of peace isn’t distraction or control—it’s God. And He gives us a clear path to experiencing that peace: “in everything by prayer...” Bring Him your frustrations, your heartbreak, your uncertainty. And do it with thanksgiving, trusting that He hears you and will guard your heart and mind.

So here’s the challenge—for me, for our students, and maybe for you too:

Instead of escaping… pray.

Instead of worrying… pray.

I would also like to challenge parents to teach this to their children. Model it before them, let them see you pray through things that are hard for you. But also teach them to do the same thing. When they try to worry their way through something, or when they try to escape emotionally or spiritually, challenge them and partner with them in prayer.

And if you ever need someone to pray with you or for you, I’d be honored to do that. Just reach out—anything you share will be held in complete confidence.

Build a habit of taking everything to God in prayer. Luke 11:9 reminds us, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open to you.”