What a time to be alive! The past couple weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement, anxiousness, and anticipation. My discipleship school decided to move classes online, so every morning my house gathers around a laptop and we video chat our classmates and teachers. Work was cancelled until further notice and we’re avoiding public places, so life is pretty slow.
I am beyond thankful that God has hand-picked this season to be when I am surrounded by people who faithfully point me back to Him and His goodness. As things escalated with the virus last week, my mind started racing with all the possibilities of the coming months. It is so easy to take hold of fear and let fear be the lens you look at the world through. But this beautiful community is insanely kind and they reminded me of a few things that I’m holding onto through all of this.
My hope is not found in the things of this world.
Health, wealth, and prosperity. America has raised us to believe that security and happiness is found in our money and our health. What a blessing that God would loosen the false foundations that we have built our hope upon! Money and health are so fleeting, they have no real security, but we depend on them like they do. When my source of income is taken away and a virus is sweeping the globe, what am I focused on? Am I focused on the treasures that lie in heaven or the ones I have stored up here on earth? It is a sobering thought to trace back the root of my fear only to realize that I’m grasping onto something so tightly, something that is not God. This is an opportunity to loosen our grip on the things of this world that are not dependable and take hold of something that is. In James 1 it says that the hot sun comes out and causes the flowers and grass to wither away and its beauty fades. Trials like this are just like the hot sun coming out to test the things of this world. Do you see things that were once secure withering away? Do you see its beauty fading? The beautiful thing is that the character and love of God is not affected by trial or by the hot sun. This is a sweet reminder that God is not shaken, He is steady, He is unchanging. In a season where it feels like nothing is certain, we get to hold fast to Him.
This was the plan all along.
Isn’t that comforting? In the middle of all the chaos and all the voices, I like to picture God just chilling. He’s straight up chilling because He knew this was going to happen, and He’s not worried. He is not running around panicking because things got out of hand. His hand is working through this in ways we don’t see, and He’s right here in the midst of it all. There is pain and there is mourning, and He is mourning with those who mourn. But things are not too far gone. The world isn’t too broken, or too sick, or too socially-distanced. Haven’t you seen the beautiful outpouring of community? Haven’t you heard the stories of neighborhoods and families rallying around the people they love? Haven’t you seen the light coming out of the darkness? That’s God.
We already have everything we need.
In scripture when people call out to God for help or answers, God consistently responds by telling them He is with them. He doesn’t always take away the trial or give them a solution…but He always reminds them of what they already have. Do not fear, I am with you. Do not worry, I am with you. I am with you and will watch over you. I am with you always, to the very end of the age. I love this quote – “He who has God and everything else has no more than he who has God only.” What would it be like to allow God to do some rewiring in our brains and hearts in this season? What would it look like to come out of this isolation period with a heart that seeks HIM whenever there is a need? To teach our souls that He satisfies and provides every need? I’m praying for that.
These sweet truths are what I’m holding onto during this season. I don’t know how long it will last, and I don’t know what it holds. But He’s doing a crazy beautiful thing through the pain. I know a God who loves me, who provides for me, and who cares for me. What’s crazy is if that is actually my truth…what else do I need?
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Much love!
Em
