Coronavirus, Fear, And Finding Peace

People are afraid. Coronavirus, terrorism, and elections top the current list. This doesn’t consider the personal fears people might have about their jobs, families, and lives. Our culture is so afraid.

There are reasons to not be so afraid, they are found in these verses that I love, like…

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

A Relational Reason To Not Be Afraid: Earlier in Isaiah 6 we see the greatness, majesty, and power of God.  You should read chapter 6. This huge God in chapter 6 is taking your hand in chapter 41 and says, I am with you and I will help you. This is extraordinarily helpful in diminishing your fears.

You wouldn’t be as afraid of how you were going to pay a hospital bill if your best friend owned the hospital.

You wouldn’t be as afraid of the bully if your best friend was bigger and stronger.

You wouldn’t be as afraid about the layoff if your best friend owned a company and promised to help you.

I don’t know what you are facing, but in Christ, I know you are not alone. God has a desire to hold your hand and help you face everything He has called you to face. This help might look like deliverance from the hardship. Encouragement you desperately needed on the path. Internal power to face what you are facing.

You are not alone! You have a helper and He is the God of the universe. Let that settle in and dissipate your fear.

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11

A Resurrection Reason To Not Be Afraid: My prayer is that your belief in the resurrection would transform your fears. After all, resurrection is a belief that conquers death and embraces life. Jesus demonstrated this power over death, in John 11, with Lazarus. Later He will walk out of His own tomb. A savior who resurrects offers you the confidence to not be afraid.

When we play out our fears, most of the time, the worst-case scenario is death. Listen, no one wants to die.  Jesus didn’t want to die; He prayed the cross would pass from Him. But the promise of resurrection and eternal life,  should quiet your fears and motivate you to stay faithful to God’s plan and purpose for your life. Death does not have the final victory, Jesus does, life does.

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2 Corinthians 4

A Redemptive Reason To Not Be Afraid: Paul had a perspective that Jesus could be revealed through his suffering. When some of his concerns in life became reality it gave him a sense of purpose in the pain. So, when he was hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, or struck down, his thought became, how can this be leveraged to give honor to Jesus.  Serve people. Advance the mission. A strong purpose in suffering will quiet your fear quickly.  It will occupy your heart and mind on something more productive than being afraid. Throughout my life I have seen countless numbers of people embrace this vision and idea. It is so inspiring to see, and it is so different.

Please don’t be afraid. Live life. Live it well. Live it in confidence and faith.