Life is filled with the unexpected. The coronavirus has deemed itself the biggest unexpected visitor so far in 2020 and has brought people a surplus of worry, stress and anxiety. It has created its own season of life; the season of uncertainty. People all over the world don’t know where their next meal is going to come from or whether they’re going to be able to pay their rent on time. They’re uncertain about the present as well as the future and in this situation, I can’t blame anyone for feeling that way. My purpose for this message is to not add onto the angst people’s hearts, but possibly provide some hope by reminding people there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
For most people, the light would be the disappearance of the virus. While that’s the overall goal, I believe that there is more to the big picture. Please understand that I’m never trying to “push religion” onto anyone, but simply share some of the words the Bible speaks to bring peace among people. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, it says, “For everything there is a season” and also reminds us that “God made everything beautiful in its time.”
Time, it’s a very difficult word to deal with. Most days there never seems to be enough of it, but now people are seeing it in an entirely new way. Most days right now are spent waiting, which is not easy, but we can rest when we are told to, “be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act” Psalm 37:7. I don’t know about you, but it is so relieving to me that I’m not the one in charge during this pandemic, or ever in life. I rest in believing that God’s got this and that He will see this situation through to the end and take care of us in the process.
I know that right now, many people might be thinking that God has forsaken them or forgotten about them in this time of uncertainty. Many people have to be quarantined which can bring loneliness, but I promise that you are never forgotten and never alone. The Lord listens to our requests and is with you, regardless of the circumstances. Don’t be afraid to come to God with your thoughts no matter your emotion. Talk to Him! Rant to Him! Cry to Him! He wants to hear from you and be your comforter. In Psalm 5:3, David cries out to the Lord and says, “Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” As you wait, know that God is working, even in the midst of this chaos. He hears you. He understands you. He loves you.
We may never understand why this strenuous time is happening, but God is using it in ways that we might not ever be able to comprehend, and that’s ok. We have to have peace in trusting the plan that God has in front of us, whether we can see it or not. While we continue to wait, I encourage you not to give up or stop doing good. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Yes, this is a scary time. Yes, things are uncertain. Yes, there is worry in the world. Every crazy emotion you might be experiencing is understandable. Although everyone’s feelings are valid, Romans 8:35 asks us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” this virus won’t be the thing to separate us from Him, “nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39
We are never separated from His love. We are never alone in the middle of a raging sea or massive storm. I will always repeat that my favorite fact in the Bible is that it says, “do not be afraid” 365 individual times. One reminder for every day of the year. One of those examples is in Isaiah 43. It says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you; When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” This passage reminds us that Jesus loves us and that we are safe with Him, always!
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