I was sitting with a group of people yesterday, yes it was a small group, and of course the
conversation was nearly consumed by news surrounding the coronavirus. The longer I sat there
the higher my anxiety rose, just thinking about the huge affect all of this is having on our economy,
our daily lives, our family and social constructs and the like. No doubt once this crisis passes there
will be long lasting effects. Some will be good, others not so good. No matter how calm a person
you are, change and uncertainty are stressful and that stress causes its own and change and uncertainty.
It can be a vicious circle.
conversation was nearly consumed by news surrounding the coronavirus. The longer I sat there
the higher my anxiety rose, just thinking about the huge affect all of this is having on our economy,
our daily lives, our family and social constructs and the like. No doubt once this crisis passes there
will be long lasting effects. Some will be good, others not so good. No matter how calm a person
you are, change and uncertainty are stressful and that stress causes its own and change and uncertainty.
It can be a vicious circle.
We all have our own coping methods for stuff like this. Some healthy, some not. While we can’t neglect
the basic things like good diet, exercise, good sleep patterns and talking out our stress with others,
I believe the healthiest thing we can do (not that I always do this) is to control our minds.
the basic things like good diet, exercise, good sleep patterns and talking out our stress with others,
I believe the healthiest thing we can do (not that I always do this) is to control our minds.
In controlling our minds we don’t just control what goes in by shutting out the thoughts that stress us
and substituting some sort of escape from reality like reading, or television but we take time to both listen
to only the healthy sources of information in limited amounts and we focus our minds on other truths.
and substituting some sort of escape from reality like reading, or television but we take time to both listen
to only the healthy sources of information in limited amounts and we focus our minds on other truths.
If you do not subscribe to a faith in God I encourage you to put some faith in the fact that history will be
reflected in our future and this reality will pass and our world as a whole will be better for it. In the history
of the world there have been a multitude of world changing crises each one bringing about some measure
of good in the midst of and in the wake of its horrors. Personally, I have hope that the crisis we face right
now will not be long and drawn out but will pass relatively quickly. However its effects will be seen for
years to come. In the coming months we will celebrate the love, kindness and heroic efforts of communities,
neighbors and healthcare professionals and we will admire humanity's ability to come together in times of trouble.
Sure, there will be stories that remind us of the depravity of mankind that will also surface but those won't be the
only stories and maybe it sounds nieve, but I don’t think they will come anywhere close to the number of good
stories that we will hear.
reflected in our future and this reality will pass and our world as a whole will be better for it. In the history
of the world there have been a multitude of world changing crises each one bringing about some measure
of good in the midst of and in the wake of its horrors. Personally, I have hope that the crisis we face right
now will not be long and drawn out but will pass relatively quickly. However its effects will be seen for
years to come. In the coming months we will celebrate the love, kindness and heroic efforts of communities,
neighbors and healthcare professionals and we will admire humanity's ability to come together in times of trouble.
Sure, there will be stories that remind us of the depravity of mankind that will also surface but those won't be the
only stories and maybe it sounds nieve, but I don’t think they will come anywhere close to the number of good
stories that we will hear.
Now, for the Christian (I can’t speak for other religions) we have more than just a hope in humanity as a whole
because we know that God has not left his throne, his loving kindness does not and will not end and because
he is, as always, in control we know that whatever is happening has a purpose greater than our limited vision
can see. This does not make us immune to pain and suffering but it does give it meaning and that gives us
hope in an outcome that is so much better and greater than our suffering that our pain pales in comparison. If
you have ever endured a traumatic painful event for the purpose of gaining something more valuable to you
than life itself then you have caught a glimpse of what Paul meant in Romans 8:18 when he said : “ For I
consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
because we know that God has not left his throne, his loving kindness does not and will not end and because
he is, as always, in control we know that whatever is happening has a purpose greater than our limited vision
can see. This does not make us immune to pain and suffering but it does give it meaning and that gives us
hope in an outcome that is so much better and greater than our suffering that our pain pales in comparison. If
you have ever endured a traumatic painful event for the purpose of gaining something more valuable to you
than life itself then you have caught a glimpse of what Paul meant in Romans 8:18 when he said : “ For I
consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Before I started writing my thoughts down this morning I asked God to bring to my mind some scriptures that
would encourage you. These are the verses in the order that they were given to me:
would encourage you. These are the verses in the order that they were given to me:
Philippians 4:19 (ESV) And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT) He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled,
we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock.
Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock.
Philippians 4:6-9 (NLT) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
8And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable,
and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
9Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and
saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
9Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and
saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
I hope that over the next days and weeks you will develop a routine of turning off the noise of the world
and tuning into the Holy Spirit of God, who reveals to us the depths and mind of God (1 Cor 2:9-13) so that you
will find that perfect peace available to those who trust God.
and tuning into the Holy Spirit of God, who reveals to us the depths and mind of God (1 Cor 2:9-13) so that you
will find that perfect peace available to those who trust God.
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