These are unusual and strange times we are living in. Never before have I personally seen something like this. Where everyone is afraid to go outside and the government has ordered everyone to work from home and stay at home as much as possible. Schools are closed and teachers are forced to change everything about how they teach so they can conduct learning online. It all seems to be happening so fast and if you allow it, it will get into your head and cause you anxiety and depression.

Generally speaking, I am an extrovert, once I get to know you. I like to be around people and talk and laugh, fellowship and have fun. So you can imagine that when everything started to shut down in the Dallas Fort Worth area, I was not entirely happy with it. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why we are doing it but as a person who likes to be around people, I wasn’t thrilled. The first few days of isolation were fine but eventually I felt that I had run out of stuff to do. My anxiety and depression started to kick in. I started to see my home as a cage, rather than a place of rest or relaxation. I started to just want to stay in bed or on the couch watching TV all the time.

I felt trapped.

After a day or so of this, I finally turned to God’s word for guidance. Something I should have started off with. The Lord lead me to a verse; Isaiah 41:13

“For I hold you by your right hand–I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.”

Isaiah 41:13

This verse brought me peace and with that peace, God also brought me the picture featured above. See, even when we are physically alone, we are never truly alone. God is always with us, no matter what. He has said that he would never leave us, nor forsake us. So in this time of darkness and sickness, why do we think He has left us now? Sure there is a reason for why God is allowing Covid-19 to turn into an Pandemic and perhaps we will know it time. Maybe we never will but for right now, we need to take comfort in the fact that God is with us and he will help us.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22 (ESV)

“Casting your burdens” may sound like a tricky thing to do but it’s simple it words. It just means that we need to give everything that we are worried about to God. We need to trust that God has everything under control and that He will care for us. As humans, we always try to do things on our own. I know I do and it is in those times that i struggle the most. When I am trying to do things by myself and without relying on God, my anxiety and depression tend to take over. My frustration and anger come up over the smallest of set backs because I’m trying to do things on my own. When we do that, of course it is not going to work. We can’t do anything apart from God. (John 15:5)

Yet, with God, nothing is impossible.

Nothing is too big for God to handle.

He is the God of the Universe. He created everything and there is nothing that goes on that He does not know about. He knows what is happening in the world today and He loves you. He loves you so much that He sent His son to die for you to pay the price for your (and my) sin. (John 3:16) Just because something bad is happening in the world, does not mean that God is not there with us. He is with us to walk through the fire with us. To walk through the hard times because that is when we need Him the most.

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Our Hope, Joy and Peace all come from God, and no person or virus can take that away. Even if the worst possible thing that you can think of happens, we can still have Hope, Joy and Peace in that moment because we can rest knowing that God is in control and everything He does, He does for our good.

Yet to have these, we must first trust in God and give all our worries to him. He tells us over and over in the His word, not to be afraid. Fear is the opposite of peace and is not from God. He did not give us a spirit of fear. Rather he has called us to be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9)

These are scary times. Yet, Jesus Christ is bigger than anything we can ever possibly imagine. Give all your worries and fears to Him and seek His peace.

Do you know Him?

I pray that you do. If you don’t, I pray that He places someone in your life that can lead you to Him.

Until next time,

God Bless.