Thrive Perspectives: The End Times

Given the current state of affairs in the world, it's hard to avoid the conclusion that the Lord may be returning soon. We are surrounded by events and developments that could be interpreted as signs of the end. Across the world we see famines, earthquakes, disasters, troubles, persecutions, wars and rumors of wars as Jesus said himself in Mark 13. But has there ever been a period in the history of the world when this was not the case? Certainly the early 21st century has no monopoly on death, disaster, devastation, and terror. You don’t need to know a great deal about history to realize this. The Bible clearly instructs us to be vigilant. However, constantly looking for signs of Jesus' return can often lead to speculation and distraction. So as a Christian, how should we respond to what we see happening in the world, and what should be our focus, even if in fact these are the ‘end times?