“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalm 56:3
It’s okay to be afraid. Lots of things in life are scary, and right now, we are all facing the reality of the coronavirus. It is a terrifying illness. Each day, the statistics regarding this virus worsens. There seems to be no end in sight.
Every time I read or hear something about covid-19, I feel the fear rising within me. I want it to all go away, but that’s not happening. Am I afraid? You bet, I am. But wait, aren’t I a Christian? Yes, I am. Don’t I believe in God? Absolutely! Yet, I still fear? Yes.
Sometimes I get the impression that people believe Christians are supposed to be fearless. Even people of faith often believe this of themselves and their brothers and sisters in Christ. Not only are we supposed to be fearless, but we are not supposed to be sad or angry or anxious, etc. In fact, every negative emotion is not supposed to be part of our lives, or we are perceived as being “weak” in our faith. The implication is that we are not truly placing our trust in God.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
When God created mankind, He created us with a myriad of emotions, including the less desirable ones. How do I know this? The Bible tells me so. Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” I am the image of my Creator, and since He has some of these “negative” emotions, it stands to reason that I have them as well. Here are some examples of God’s emotions.
- God grieves. Genesis 6:6 states, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” In Ephesians, Paul also writes that we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 4:30)
- God weeps. John 11:33 simply states, “Jesus wept.” God is speaking to Jeremiah when He says in chapter 17, “Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.”
- God gets angry. John 3:36 records this truth. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
- God knows sadness. “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3
Fortunately, God also provides the remedy for these feelings that we experience. There are a plethora of verses that address the individual emotions that threaten to overwhelm us. However, one passage in Scripture holds the cure for all of the fear, anger, depression, etc. that invades our lives. Colossians 3:1-2 states, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Focusing on Jesus is the only cure for the fears, anxieties, and troubles that threaten to engulf me on a regular basis. When I remember that God really is in control, and that He loves me and cares for me, these disturbing emotions fade into the background. Turning to the Bible for verses that remind me that I can depend on God in any and all situations gives me peace about the stuff going on in the world. The coronavirus, the chaotic government, the economic crisis, and even the lack of toilet paper… these worrisome things all fade away… until the next time I hear or read something about it. When the fears begin to creep into my head once more, I grab my shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit and swing away (Ephesians 6), hurling verse after verse and lifting my shield high until all those fiery darts are quenched and fizzle out.
Sometimes the battles are over quickly, but sometimes they are long-lasting. Don’t doubt your faith! Just hold on to Jesus, and claim His promises! Keep fighting the good fight! If you feel like you are losing strength, grab your Bible! Find the verses you need to help you stand strong in the power of God! Call someone and pray together! Don’t give up! The battles may continue to rage, but we are assured victory in Jesus! Eventually those disturbing thoughts and frightening feelings will fade (and maybe even disappear completely), and as you continue to focus on specific verses, the peace of God will return, and when it does, His peace, which passes all understanding, will fill your soul!
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
(from “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen Howarth Lemmel)
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
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Don’t be unarmed! Read your Bible and pray often!
Amen!