One year ago today I wrote this reminder to all of us. As early as February 28th of last year people were really becoming concerned; in fact, the focus then was striving to discern the difference between worry, anxiety, and fear. One year later we remain under the throes of this pandemic. With group immunity in sight and many states beginning to lift limited quarantine orders, we rejoice in some good news. The effects though continue to loom over us.
Loss and the Battle
As I write, knowing the carnage for families, small businesses, local farmers, and others, little did we know one year ago the extent of the trouble. The past year has been chocked full of loss as we all have lost friends and loved ones to COVID as well as all the other stuff which weigh on us but are no where near the loss of those we love.
Even today we still sit in a fog related to what is next. No one knows. Yet, God built into each person as those in the image of God the desire to know, make sense of, and figure out what is happening. This desire to unravel the world around us in order to understand it better in addition to concern over those we love produces continued opportunities for our hearts to struggle.
For most, the battle of this last year has been long. Fear. Worry. Anxiety. Concern. Sadness. Struggle. Depression. Uncertainty. Limited engagement. Loss.
Yet, if we live in fear it doesn’t help anyone. In fact, even in the midst of a pandemic, God does not want us living in panic. Instead, God desires for us to have courage – to trust in the Lord.
Trust in the Lord
The prophet Isaiah tells the Israelites the best way to handle the pressure they are under. They as a nation could expect God’s vindication as they maintained their firm purpose of trust in the Lord.
3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
The main idea of theses verses is trust. God is trustworthy and you can trust Him. Both “Whose mind is stayed on You” and “Trust in the Lord forever” emphasize where you place your mind. In other words, what it is you think about is important as you place your trust in the Lord.
Courage – Functionally Trusting in the Lord
What does courage as you trust in the Lord look like in these days?
First, keep your mind focused on what is true about God. Consider God’s character, His control, His purpose for your life, and His presence in your life. God desires you to function under complete confidence in Him. He challenges Joshua to remember that He never leaves him or forsakes him (Josh 1:6-9).
Second, pray and pray often. Prayer in this sense is a continual conversation with God. As you talk to God, thank Him for the things that are true about Him and His character. Be grateful as you bring your requests to Him. The important thing is to continue to talk. If you choose not to talk, the problems only compound on each other.
Third, spend some time with God listening to Him. Be sure to open up your Bible to a favorite passage or section and read. Do not let COVID distract you from listening to God. Try the Psalms. The Gospels (I’m loving Luke right now). Ephesians. I prefer the YouVersion Bible app which is completely free, with no advertising and no in-app purchases. Try it on all your devices – more info here.
Fourth, go about your day in courage because you trust in God. What kind of courage? Courage to do what is right. Courage that places its trust in God. Plus courage to keep loving and serving others. Courage to discipline your heart to be concerned more about your neighbor than yourself. Courage to have a generous mind toward others. This list of course could be much longer. You and I will never have all the answers as to the virus, the stock market, goods and services, nor any other particulars of this event. Yet, we must continue to take the next step in courage for the glory of God even without knowing.
However, this you do know: God is trustworthy and as His child in Christ, you can have courage and boldness today and every day.
My friend, have Courage – Trust in the Lord
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together