It’s so easy to get caught up in the things of this world, especially when we are personally affected. I’m writing this after having spent almost 2 months in quarantine due to the 2020 pandemic, COVID-19. The world was shaken with the infection and fatality rates of this virus in various parts of the world and leaders worldwide listened to medical experts who said that social distancing and stay-at-home orders would help prevent the overwhelming of the healthcare systems. Businesses have shut down, kids have been out of school and college for two months at this point and everyone is extremely cautious to go back out and start living their lives again. How do we deal with such anxiety-causing events?
Philippians 4:4-9 (NASB)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
This passage has given me a peace about the situation. My family and I are abiding by the government orders and guidelines, and we are fortunate that we have been able to work from home. Many aren’t so lucky. I am struck by what this passage instructs – to not be anxious – many people likely have this verse (v6) memorized or written down someplace in their home or someplace very noticable so that they can easily be reminded of it.
Verse 6 is an awesome message, especially in times like we are currently experiencing and the much more trying times I know are promised in the future. As I say in my “about” page, though – there’s more to the passage than a single verse. There are two more nuggets that accompany and compliment verse 6.
Verse 8 challenges us to look for and find good things and to dwell on those. This will counter-act the negative things that we think about that cause anxiousness. I have been blessed that I have trained myself to do this in most situations (I’m not perfect, and I sometimes fail miserably at this). I recommend asking God in your prayers about anxiety, to ask him to help you find the good, true, honorable, pure, lovely thing to focus on.
Verse 9 exhorts us to practice the things we see in our spiritual mentors. Do you have spiritual mentor? A parent, a friend, a pastor? Find someone that walks and talks the things of God and practice the same things.
We aren’t meant to live in fear and anxiousness, even though the world is dripping in it. We are called to live holy – seperate. Are you being the holy example to the world around you during trying times?
– Spread the gospel – lives depend on it!
– I pray, MARANATHA! (Come quickly, Lord Jesus!)
Your brother in Christ,
Duane
