This weekend, more than 40 people in Ukraine were killed in one of the deadliest Russian attacks since the full-scale invasion began. The strikes destroyed homes, leveled a children’s hospital in Kyiv, and left a nation once again holding its breath beneath the rubble.

The images are almost too much to bear — babies carried out on stretchers, nurses shielding toddlers with their bodies, fathers weeping beside the wreckage of what was once a home.

And for those of us watching from a distance, the grief is layered.
We feel helpless.
We feel numb.
We feel heartbroken.
We wonder, What can I possibly do from here?

But the Gospel doesn’t let us look away.
And Jesus never gave His followers the option of compassion without action.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9

Peacemaking Is Not Passive

We often think peace means calm, or the absence of conflict. But biblical peace, shalom, is much more than that. It is the presence of justice, wholeness, and right relationship with God and others.

That kind of peace doesn’t just happen. It must be made.

And when war rages, in Ukraine or anywhere else, the people of God are called not to quiet comfort, but to courageous intercession, advocacy, and generosity.

We don’t need to be near the smoke to carry water to the fire.

What Responsibility Looks Like

When we see the world breaking, our hearts should break too and then move us to act.

1. We Pray, Earnestly and Specifically
Not just “God, bring peace,” but:

• Comfort the mothers who just lost their children.
• Protect those digging through rubble.
• Strengthen pastors, doctors, and aid workers who are exhausted.
• Disrupt evil strategies.
• Let justice roll down like waters.

2. We Give
Not everyone can go. But many of us can give. Find organizations with trusted boots on the ground: those delivering food, trauma care, and spiritual hope. What feels small to us can be lifeblood to someone else.

3. We Bear Witness
Don’t scroll past it.
Don’t forget by Tuesday.
Talk about it. Pray out loud for Ukraine in your church, in your home, in your staff meetings. Let your kids see you cry and care. Let your heart stay tender.

4. We Stay Open to God’s Assignment
Maybe you’re meant to host, write, teach, serve, connect, advocate. Ask Him. You might be part of someone’s answer to prayer even from a world away.

War Is Loud. But Love Can Be Louder.

We are not powerless. We are not forgotten. And neither are they.

God is near to the brokenhearted and He often shows up through His people.

Let us not grow numb in the face of destruction.
Let us not mistake distance for exemption.
Let us not wait until it’s trending to start caring again.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
— Romans 12:21

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• Pray for Ukraine with your family, your small group, your church — by name and by need.
• Give to trusted ministries and NGOs doing trauma-informed care, medical response, and community rebuilding.
• Share the stories — not for shock value, but to awaken compassion.
• Stay awake. Stay soft. Stay faithful.

Because when the sky falls, the Church should rise.