How do I even begin this post? The world around us seems to be crumbling as mass hysteria has hit our nation. The President himself has declared our world in a national emergency due to the corona virus (COVID-19). I don't understand everything that is happening right now. Maybe it's because we were never meant to comprehend something on such a large scale. We have some facts about the corona virus, but there are many unknowns. There are a lot of cases across the US (many mild). Everything is shutting down. Schools are closed for at least three weeks at a time. Disneyland is closed. NBA has suspended it's season. Many restaurants are closing with the exception of drive thru. Family Days have been cancelled which means soldiers and families who looked so forward to spending a weekend together have lost that opportunity. Wal-Mart and Kroger is selling out of basic necessities such as toilet paper, cleaning products, canned goods, etc. The nation is both panic-stricken and panic-driven right now. I know all of these things, but what really matters right now? In the grand scheme of things? Of course I don't want my family or anyone else to get sick. Of course I don't want to expose myself unnecessarily to sickness or large crowds. There are certain precautions that need to be taken, as recommended by the CDC and other government/health officials. However, there is one factor in all of this that many people have completely dismissed. FAITH. Faith is about believing in what we can't see, right? We know that the corona virus is real, even if we haven't seen it with our own eyes. That's not the kind of faith I am talking about. If you have followed me for any amount of time, you know where I'm going with this.
Faith in Jesus Christ: the most powerful kind of faith you can have. In situations like we are currently experiencing, there are so many unknown factors, it makes my head spin. But there is one constant. One absolutely known factor that so many of us have forgotten about. Faith is knowing that God is in control. Even if there is sickness. Even if there is panic. Even if there is isolation. Even if there is confusion. Even if there is fear. When you stop and think about it, God already knew about COVID-19 before it ever knocked on our doors. He knew what was coming. Each of us will react differently in a situation of this magnitude. I know I have experienced a range of emotions since learning about this new virus, as I'm sure many of you have. Here are just a few ways to describe these feelings:
1. Angry
2. Confused
3. Lost
4. Afraid
It is perfectly ok and human of us to feel one or more of these emotions over the course of the news we have received. But if you are a believer, you can still have faith. The world is looking for the known factor. We all want facts about COVID-19. Something to ease our minds in the midst of the chaos. What if we don't get those answers the way we want them? Then we go right back to feeling angry, confused, lost, and afraid. Faith is the only absolute here. The one KNOWN factor in the middle of a world of UNKNOWN. Here is what I KNOW about my God, no matter what else is going on in my life or the world around me:
I KNOW that He is good.
I KNOW that He is kind.
I KNOW that He is calm in the storm.
I KNOW that He loves me.
I KNOW that He keeps me safe.
I KNOW that He is a healer. I KNOW that He is an anchor. I KNOW that He is my protector.
I KNOW that He is constant.
I KNOW that He is in control.
The first line should encompass all the rest: I know that He is good. There are enough knowns about God to completely outnumber the unknowns about COVID-19 (or anything else going on in our world). What kind of faith do you need to believe that in a time like this? I have to admit, it sounds impossible. However, we can't put our faith in what men have to say. Right now, the media is taking the story of COVID-19 and running with it. This incites fear and panic in homes across the country. So, who should we have faith in right now?
1 Corinthians 2:5-That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
We should have faith in God. I'm not saying you can't trust anything you are hearing about COVID-19, but you can't have absolute faith in what men say. You can have absolute faith in what God says.
Mark 11:22-And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God."
The enemy of our souls longs to create the kind of chaos and panic we have seen emerge in 2020. He thinks he has succeeded with his plan, especially when He sees Christians experiencing the same level of fear as everyone else. What if we had so much faith that it overcame fear? The good news is, we can have that much faith! The Bible commands us to take up the shield of faith. Faith is represented as a shield because it covers us. Faith protects us from the enemy and from his attacks. It shields us from anything that could ever come against us. If you want a real course of action, here is what you must do:
Ephesians 6:16-Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
How's that for a plan of action? You can literally extinguish fear and replace it with peace. All because you act in faith. I don't know how that looks for you. Personally, faith is posting on my blog. Faith is going to pick up kids on the bus every Sunday. Faith is believing that God's got this even when I have no idea what happens next. Although faith is a KNOWN factor, there is still some unknown mixed in. We have to believe in what we can't see.
Hebrews 11:1-Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
I don't know or understand God's purpose during this time. I hope and pray for a solution to this sickness. I pray for peace. I pray for safety. God had to convict my heart because I realized that I was drowning myself in worry. We have to cease worrying about all of the unknowns right now and focus on what we do know. The KNOWN factor is faith: Faith in Jesus Christ, who is all-knowing and in control of everything. Do not allow fear to drive you. Have faith in the one absolute during this time of uncertainty.