Watching Without Losing Your Mind

Scroll social media for five minutes and you’ll find someone announcing they’ve finally cracked the prophetic code. Look, a red moon! Wow, another war in the Middle East. Did you hear about that earthquake? A politician whose name could be a 666 code. Is AI the Beast of Revelation?

Apparently, every headline is the headline that proves Jesus is coming back next Tuesday at 3:17 p.m.

Yes, Jesus absolutely told His followers to watch the signs. He pointed to wars, earthquakes, persecution, deception, and upheaval as reminders that history is moving according to God’s grand plan and toward His appointed conclusion. But He never told us to become prophecy detectives obsessed with predicting dates or identifying every newsmaker as the Antichrist.

Instead, He said, “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” (Matthew 24:33, KJV)

Watch the signs, but don’t worship or obsess over the signs. They are road markers, not the destination. Their purpose isn’t to make us fearful, distracted, or addicted to doom-scrolling. Their purpose is to remind us that God keeps His promises and that His Kingdom is drawing nearer every day.

So What?

The real question isn’t, “Can I predict the day?” Jesus already answered that: Nope. The better question is, “If He returned today, would He find me faithfully following Him?”

It’s good to stay informed. It’s wise to think about and try to understand what biblical prophecy means for us today. But if we spend more time refreshing the news than reading God’s Word, we’ve probably started watching the wrong thing.

So yes, we’ll keep one eye on the headlines—but we’ll keep busy and focused on the work God is calling us to.

Love God. Love your neighbor. Speak the truth. Be an example and blessing to others. Pray and manifest power and healing by the spirit God has given you. That’s what watching looks like.

Because when the King does return, He isn’t looking for people who guessed the date. He’s looking for people who were faithful while they waited.