Overwhelmed. That’s how I feel today.
I have watched every press briefing that I can. I’ve read posts, listened to podcasts, researched and looked up everything I know to try and figure out the answer to this pandemic.
I want to understand it. I want to know how our government should be responding. Should we open back up the states? How fast? Do we wait till there is better testing or possibly a vaccine? But that will take more than a year? What if we shut everything down for as long as needed, but our economy tanks and people without jobs can no longer feed their families? What is worse? A virus, or a great depression? Is there a way to avoid both?
My mind has been running wild. Truth is, there isn’t an easy answer, and I am definitely not educated enough to be the one to figure out what even the best possible answer might be.
The other day I asked this question on my Instagram story: What have you been encouraged by during COVID-19? The answers were many.
“The Lord revealing Himself to me”
“The opportunity to learn new things”
“Reminders of who God is and what He has promised”
“How we are ALL in this together”
“The local church”
It was sweet to read all of reminders of the good things that are coming from even the toughest of days. The church is being mobilized, many are leaning into the truth of who God is, we are being slowed down to a pace we normally would not allow ourselves to get to, and we are looking up from our screens to see the world and the people around us from a new perspective. Despite what the headlines might say, we DO have a reason to sing.
Not Alone
Now more than ever the majority of us are walking through a time where our trust in God and faith in what He says has been put to the test. As some might say, it is a time when the rubber has met the road.
We have all walked through difficult days of various trials before this virus came along. Can you remember a time though when we were all simultaneously facing the exact same thing? Though it might look a bit different in each of our lives, it is still the same source of struggle. Though we are confined to our own homes, we are not alone in this trial.
Count It Joy
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” James 1:2-4
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
Count it all joy. Joy is a word misinterpreted by many. It does not equal happiness, and it does not depend on our circumstances. Though we face trials, yet we rejoice. Why? Because of Jesus. True joy comes from knowing, walking, and resting in Him.
He is Our Hope
Our days don’t look as normal as they did a month ago. To get through this time I think it is important to practice establishing a routine, trying new hobbies, spending extra time getting things checked off your year old to-do list and so on and so forth. All of those things are great things to do, and they definitely have their place to help us keep our sanity. However, those practices cannot serve as our source of hope.
If a vaccine were created tomorrow, would we suddenly have hope? If the economy was re opened, businesses didn’t have to close and those that have feared losing their jobs no longer have to worry- would we then have hope? Is that the answer to all of our problems? No. When all of those things happen, and I pray that they do, one very large problem will still exist – sin.
My struggle has come from not knowing and understanding what will happen and what should happen. But, my source of joy, hope and encouragement should come from what I do know.
What Do We Know?
- We know that Christ is victorious. (1 Corinthians 15:54-58)
- We know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and each of our days were planned by God Himself. (Psalm 139:13-16)
- We know that all things work together for good. (Romans 8:28)
- We know that God is in control. (Psalm 115:3; Proverbs 19:21)
- We know that God is the creator of the universe and sovereign over all. (Nehemiah 9:6; Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17; Job 42:2)
- We know that He is good. (Psalm 107:1; Psalm 84:11; Psalm 34:8)
- We know that He is with us. (Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20)
- We know that our government leaders were established by God. (Romans 13:1-7)
- We know that nothing can separate us from Him. (Romans 8:38-39)
- We know that even though we face hard days here, they are not worth comparing to the glory that is to come. (Romans 8:18-25)
- We know that He is coming again. (Matthew 24:44; 1 Peter 4:7; Revelation 1:7; Philippians 2:9-11)
I pray that during this time when we can so clearly see the frailty of life that we will be reminded of our true source of hope and that we will run and fall fully into the arms of our Father, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
What is your hope placed in? A vaccine for a virus when tomorrow a new sickness could take over your body? Figuring out the right steps our government should take? A financially stable life that tomorrow could be whisked away due to other unforeseen circumstances? Or, is your hope rooted in Christ?
Do you know Him? Do you have that hope? If not, today is a good day to reach out and grasp it.
As reminded by my mom this morning, me figuring this out won’t solve all of our problems. I can watch all of the news I want, but the President won’t be calling me for advice. I can only control so much. So, why don’t we stop worrying about the things we can’t change and rest in the one that controls it all?
Brothers and sisters- lift up your voices and sing. Dance in the midst of the darkness. Rejoice- for our King is alive. Let the world see through us the God that we know, even in the midst of the unknown.
We still have a reason to sing
The victory has already been secured
We Walk in His defeat of death
So let there be dancing in the night
For Jesus Christ is King
Post inspired by “Jesus is Alive,” by CityAlight
This post was originally shared here at rememberingandrejoicing.wordpress.com. If you have a submission that you would like to share, send it our way!
