This pandemic is affecting everyone differently. Some people are finding that life has very much slowed down over the past few weeks, while others are experiencing increased work-related busyness due to the virus.
In the United States, we are accustomed to a very fast paced life. Suddenly, many of us are less busy, We have nowhere to go and little to do. God is slowing people down, and this is taking a great deal of adjustment because many of us do not know how to be still or quiet. For years, we have relied on our busyness to distract us, but now the distractions are gone and we have time to think, to self-reflect, and to process.
The challenge every day is to trust God. Our faith is going to continually be tested throughout this time of quarantine, uncertainty, and social distancing. One day, we may feel confident in God, trusting the Lord during the storm, while the next day we may feel shaken and very unsure of our footing, barely holding onto God.
So, what do we do? What does it look like to trust God during COVID-19? Trusting God does not mean that we stop washing our hands and or start to lick doorknobs. Rather, we pray. We pray for each other, for our communities, for those vulnerable to this virus. We show compassion by looking for creative opportunities to love those around us and meet their needs while maintaining physical distance. We give thanks in all circumstances. We set our eyes on Christ over and over and over again. We open the word of God and we turn to Jesus. And when we stumble, we turn to Jesus again. We keep turning to Jesus, as many times as it takes.
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he implores the church to rest in God. His words are just as relevant to us:
We are all in the same storm of COVID-19, but our experiences are vastly different and the storm is impacting us in different ways. For some of us, our biggest struggle is that we had to cancel our Spring Break plans, while others are facing life-threatening sickness or do not know what food they will have to eat tomorrow. We are all starting in different places and growing at different paces. We are not in competition against one another to see who is further along in having peace and resting in the Lord. If it is easy for you to rest in God today, rejoice in that and support your brothers and sisters who are experiencing especially choppy waves today.
Want to hear more? Listen to Episode 3 of Church Unfiltered here.
In the United States, we are accustomed to a very fast paced life. Suddenly, many of us are less busy, We have nowhere to go and little to do. God is slowing people down, and this is taking a great deal of adjustment because many of us do not know how to be still or quiet. For years, we have relied on our busyness to distract us, but now the distractions are gone and we have time to think, to self-reflect, and to process.
The challenge every day is to trust God. Our faith is going to continually be tested throughout this time of quarantine, uncertainty, and social distancing. One day, we may feel confident in God, trusting the Lord during the storm, while the next day we may feel shaken and very unsure of our footing, barely holding onto God.
So, what do we do? What does it look like to trust God during COVID-19? Trusting God does not mean that we stop washing our hands and or start to lick doorknobs. Rather, we pray. We pray for each other, for our communities, for those vulnerable to this virus. We show compassion by looking for creative opportunities to love those around us and meet their needs while maintaining physical distance. We give thanks in all circumstances. We set our eyes on Christ over and over and over again. We open the word of God and we turn to Jesus. And when we stumble, we turn to Jesus again. We keep turning to Jesus, as many times as it takes.
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he implores the church to rest in God. His words are just as relevant to us:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)Almost two thousand years later, the truth of God’s word still stands. The peace of God is only found in Jesus Christ.
We are all in the same storm of COVID-19, but our experiences are vastly different and the storm is impacting us in different ways. For some of us, our biggest struggle is that we had to cancel our Spring Break plans, while others are facing life-threatening sickness or do not know what food they will have to eat tomorrow. We are all starting in different places and growing at different paces. We are not in competition against one another to see who is further along in having peace and resting in the Lord. If it is easy for you to rest in God today, rejoice in that and support your brothers and sisters who are experiencing especially choppy waves today.
Want to hear more? Listen to Episode 3 of Church Unfiltered here.
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