I spoke to a friend about it the other day, and was just telling him how sad I am at what this panic is doing to people. Many are losing their jobs because stores are shutting down to prevent the spread of this virus. No one knows how long this is going to last, and no one knows what to do. It grieved me to see so many people hurting both physically and financially.
But then, my friend told me about the good things that are coming out of this pandemic. More believers are able to speak freely about Christ. People are coming together and helping each other. Friendships are being built. The gospel is going forth. Abortion clinics are being shut down, saving the lives of countless babies. Really good things are happening.
To be honest, all I could see was the bad. I hadn't seen the good until my friend pointed it out. Because listen, the tendency is to worry. To be filled with fear. To focus on the negative things. Today I even felt sick to my stomach because of how scared I was...not of the virus itself but because of how people have been responding to it. To the point that I thought I might puke.
But then God put a reminder on my heart of a verse in the Bible that says, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." Matthew 6:34 It's a verse I grew up hearing, but only now am really understanding the true meaning of it. It's essentially telling us to not worry about the future, because it doesn't help anything, and because we should know that God will provide for us just like He provides for the sparrows. Everything WILL work out in God's timing.
Plus the Lord promises to watch over you...in fact He says it five times in Psalm 121. Just listen to these words and let it flood over your soul filling you with Peace...
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains --
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip --
He who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you --
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm --
He will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming
and going
both now and forevermore.
Ahh! What beautiful words. In a time of chaos we can find peace. We can rest in knowing that He will take care of us and provide what we need. We don't have to worry about tomorrow...because God has already taken care of tomorrow before we even experienced it. So I would encourage you to not fear but to find your peace and comfort in Him. To look back at God's faithfulness in the storms. To bask in His goodness. To just focus on today, and the here and now. And keep pressing on.
In His Arms,
Olivia Lodi
