Be Encouraged >> In Times of Uncertainty...

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash // edited on Canva

LET’S FACE IT.

Our world is MESSED UP.

It's a scary place.

One where the statistical numbers of a new virus' death count causes more panic than the terrifying, continuously rising numbers of mass murder that abortion is every day.

And people turn to hoarding toilet paper & groceries to compensate for their fears? In the end, they are willing to give up their very freedom in the hopes that a government will guarantee their safety.
Something wrong with this picture?

Yes, illnesses are scary. Especially when you don't know the what, how, & why? But that's JUST IT:

FEAR = lack of knowledge

If we are willing---and openminded!---to make the effort to research & explore the world happenings instead of taking the media's (and our neighbors') words for it, surprisingly, the fear seems to dissipate (or at least decrease to a more reasonable size). Worry is so common regardless, don't get me wrong. I mean, come on, we're human beans! But so much panic & chaos can be avoided if we were more than just under-informed---if we were active Truth-seekers.

In these times of uncertainty & concern for our futures, especially at present, it was my desire to share a bit of encouragement as we endure the fear that the Coronavirus/COVID-19 currently is.

If you are a Christian, the very LAST thing you should be doing is causing or adding to the panic & chaos our families, grocery stores, & social media outlets are screaming in our faces every day for the past couple weeks.

As believers in the hope & salvation of our God & King, Christians should be the cornerstones of their families & communities in times of crises. They should be prayer warriors, steadfastly leaning on the promises of God---calming Lighthouses amidst the churning seas of panic. I'm not saying we are to be free of all fears & worries---that's not quite possible (we're humans, remember?). But we should not fail to forget that come what may, our King is in control & no matter how terrifying the events of our world take place, we can rest in that knowledge & keep pressing on day by day.

"Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze straight ahead."
- Proverbs 4:25, CSB

This verse has always served as a reminder & encouragement to me to keep on keeping on. We need only have a Godward focus and the fears & worries of this world CANNOT bog & tear us down.

To be honest, this statement is pretty straightforward.

But, unfortunately, in this day & age, common sense is not so common. I'm sure you will agree.

In regards to this virus, as with any illness, common sense says to avoid carelessness in caring for your body & being conscious of those around you.

I.E.

WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP & WATER. For effectiveness, scrub your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before rinsing.
COVER YOUR COUGHS & SNEEZES WITH YOUR SLEEVE, HANKY, OR TISSUE. (This is COMMON SENSE, people.)
FOOD IS NUTRITIOUS FOR A REASON. Stock up on foods that fuel your temple with the necessary vitamins & nutrients that help fight the bad bacteria. Avoid the sugars & junk food that only add pounds & health problems. God is the Great Physician AND the Creator of all things---do you think He'd plop us on the earth without providing for our every Need? It's time to get back to the basics. For example, green peppers & kiwis are high in Vitamin C. Explore the benefits of our God-given foods!
DO NOT SHAKE HANDS OR HUG ANYONE. Physical contact is how most illnesses are spread. And human beans are huggy people. ;D (Nothing wrong with that, but it would be wise to acknowledge such actions at present. Even if you are not ill, you could be a carrier of an illness.)
DO NOT GO TO GROUP GATHERINGS IF YOU ARE SICK. This includes church, y'all. Germs are so easily spread in the fellowship that is God's House. But SERIOUSLY, you are not a hypocrite if you miss a Sunday or two.
AND THE LIST COULD GO ON...

All told,

Be considerate.

Sometimes in the face of fear, panic, & helplessness, all we can do is pray. God never once promises that life will be easy here, but He does promise that we don't have to face it alone. He hears every frightened cry & every fearful concern. He may not answer or respond to your prayers in a verbal, clear voice or way, but you can rest knowing He hears.

How wonderful is that? Even if death takes a loved one, or our future is somehow compromised, we know it won't always be this way. Someday, He'll take us Home where no fear or disease even exists.

I am guilty of this: my focus is all too often earthbound. How differently would we live if we were consistent in keeping our hearts & minds Godward?

We could go into all the politics of what's wrong with our world & our nation at present, but it means nothing if we don't have our gazes fixed straight ahead.

One thing our Lord asks us consistently:

Follow Me.

Are you one to obey immediately, or are you like me who unintentionally stalls & procrastinates in all things?

With the "pandemic" that the Coronavirus is on our world, & all that ensues in the aftermath in regards to governmental control & politics, this could very well be a sign of Judgment. Jesus is coming soon---and we are called to "stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning." (Luke 12:35)

Amidst the effects this virus has on our world, are we ready for our King to return? Are we furthering his Kingdom in any way? Or are we just prepping for an apocalypse and hoarding anything & everything we can get our hands on?

No matter what's happening in the world, we have priorities.

And presently, it could be as simple as choosing joy in the gloom & doom of self-quarantine & the potential boredom you may feel in that. :]

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So, to conclude this monstrous post & for the sake of those skimming (hey, I don't blame you ;D):

Don't add to the chaos.

Use common sense!

Be considerate.

Pray continuously.

Keep a Godward focus.

Choose joy!

I certainly don't have all the answers. Please don't take my word for it. Such things mentioned above are my personal opinions in the events currently taking place. I can truly say I'm not worried. My hope & faith rests in Christ alone. I have no doubt He will provide for me & my family. And I believe in the next few weeks, or even couple months or so, things could start to look up.

Choose joy, y'all! It's times like this where Christians shine brightest.

Comments

Christine SmithMarch 23, 2020 at 8:23 PM
Choose joy. YES YES YES!!! Such wonderful words to live by right now. It's definitely been a fight every day to be at peace and joyful amidst all this insanity. I needed these reminders to keep my eyes on Jesus. Your first point especially hit home. "Don't add to the chaos." THAT IS SO TRUE. As Christians, it is definitely our job to help bring peace and comfort during these hard times, not more fear. And you ARE bringing comfort. This post was such a refreshing salve to the soul. Thank you so much for sharing, dear Sarah! I do hope you and your family are staying well. <3
AnonymousMarch 27, 2020 at 8:41 AM
I agree this fear and panic is being driven by the media and social media. It's like you can't breathe a calm breathe if you're talking to most people. They've become terrified and are mad that your not terrified. I'm certainly aware that we need to be cautious and this is a danger and I don't want anyone to get sick of especially die. However,if Christians don't stand strong in their faith in God and find peace in his promises then we're failing God,others and ourselves. He tells us to cast all our cares on him,ALL not just the tiny things. Our God is King he tells the sun when to shine, parted the Red Sea, saved Daniel from the hungry lions,saved Shadrach,Meshac and Abenibdigo from the fiery furnace,he healed the sick,raised the dead. He is still the same today.I've been .Criticized for trying to find joy and peace in the Lord during these trying times. I standby my belief that God is in control. I appreciate someone who believes there can be peace amidst the storm.Thank you,for your blog.Turn off your TV,avoid disparaging people on social media. Get with your religious group's,turn on praise music,read and pray.Find not in the peace of the Lord,let your light shine!

Mylan YoungMarch 27, 2020 at 9:54 AM
I love how you mention nothing about masks. I'm in the health professions field and we've all had to go on huge mask/gown/glove conservations. I know a healthcare worker who's been forced by the shortage to reuse masks in between patients - unethical and ew! It's ridiculous seeing normal healthy people binge-buying and walking around with masks without even considering that they're taking the masks away from the people who need them the most.