Oil prices rose by more than one dollar in Tokyo on Thursday as families around the world feel the weight of a choking energy market. Both global benchmarks have seen intense volatility as investors weigh the prospects of a peace deal in the Middle East. While Iran has stated it is reviewing a U.S. proposal to end the war, the Strait of Hormuz remains a primary chokepoint that threatens the global supply of fuel.

This energy crisis hits hardest at the kitchen table. When the cost of a barrel of oil rises, so does the cost of the commute to work and the price of heating the family home. In Libya, the Zawiya refinery—the nation's largest—was forced to shut down on May 8 after military projectiles struck the facility. According to the National Oil Corporation of Libya, tankers were evacuated to prevent explosions as clashes moved into residential areas.

Our world remains fragile when its lifeblood is subject to the whims of war. The ongoing hydrocarbon liquidation in Europe and the blockade in the Gulf describe a world in triage, where the warmth of a home is traded for the tactical gains of a battlefield. We must pray for a peace that is not merely a pause in the fighting, but a restoration of the order that allows families to prosper without the fear of a freezing winter or an empty tank.