Encouragement in the Pandemic

DIFFICULT NIGHTS

Yesterday I completed my first week of physical distancing.  I was prayerful during the days and was able to help encourage my children as each of them became more aware of how this pandemic is disrupting their normal lives.  My son Abraham, whose wife is a doctor, was always pleading with me to take every precaution.  I found that it was emotionally bearable during the days as I had developed a routine of taking on some type of home organization task, listening to the current news, feeding on good biblical teaching and continual prayer.   

At night, however, when I was alone in my dark room away from the distractions of the day, the weight of the pandemic seemed too much for me to bear. On one occasion I actually had a panic attack.  It became very apparent that as much as I knew God, I needed more.  I needed more of His Spirit and I needed His reality in my life to be greater than the happenings around me.

CRIED OUT FOR MORE GRACE

Yesterday’s grace is inadequate for today’s trouble.  That might be why we need daily bread.  I cried out to God to lift me out of my pit because I know that as recipients of grace, we could sincerely find comfort and strength to enable us to rejoice and worship with glad hearts in the midst of distress. 

God used various means to lift me.  One way was my son George, surprisingly, he sent me the scripture 2 Chronicles 7:13-15.  It was a reminder of the absolute sovereignty of God in all things.  The purpose of trouble for God’s people was a call to get closer to Him.  God is never punitive but He designs trials for His glory and for the joy of His people.  He promises that as we draw closer to Him, he will draw closer to us.

GOD OF PURPOSE AND DESIGN

I was also encouraged by various voices that had prophetic gifts to cause me to lift my head and embrace the comfort that God is not taken by surprise and that we have been chosen and strategically placed at this time in history and placed specially in our specific local church family so that we can be used at this time to be a light; a light to each other and to the world that has no hope outside of the systems of man.  I was reminded that trouble brings change, and the best change will be in our hearts as we draw closer to God.  

I believe that God is calling us all out of lukewarm lives, it is now time to make sure that we know Him intimately and not just know about Him.  I believe we are going to go through some real hard struggles as the ripple effects of the pandemic unfolds.  But this season in our lives can be the wind that will propel a time of revival for the church.

HE NEVER LEAVES US ALONE

One of my prayers at night was about me feeling so alone and cut off from my family.  It was quite ironic how the Lord used a trial yesterday to comfort me.  I woke up in the morning to find water coming out of the celling in my dining room, it was coming from the air conditioner, it had broken down.  I felt that this had come to test the reality of the grace I had received only hours before.  But to fast forward my AC dilemma, the home organizing of the previous week had caused me to find my original receipt of the purchase of my air conditioning unit.  Therefore, when the technician asked for it, I happily did not struggle to find it, and was able to confirm that indeed it was still under warranty. 

How wonderful it was to know that God had prepared me for that moment.  Suh a little thing as the AC helped me to know I was not alone.  My heart became illuminated with the knowledge that He was with me and He was in control.  My heavenly Father used such a simple trial to bring a supernatural joy and excitement to my heart.  

PEACE IN UNCERTAINTY

I was reminded of a situation long ago when I was in the midst of a very personal turbulent time, how the Lord had put on my heart not to be anxious about the uncertainty of tomorrow, but to take my peace in knowing that He had already taken care of it.   Just remembering that time and how he had worked faithfully through all the many challenges over the years has helped me to know that we can trust Him in this present pandemic also.  We are not in this trial by surprise to God, and we know that it is designed for our good, and is a call to draw closer to Him.

Please be encouraged my brothers and sisters, God is using this pandemic and economic crisis to bring us more into His presence.   We are not as the world; we have a heavenly Father who is able to visit us and bring to us supernatural peace that will boggle our minds.  (Phil 4:7) The peace that God brings is not merely knowing scripture but by having that word come alive in our hearts.  The apostle Paul prayed for the church. 

Ephesians 1: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him

We need a work of the Holy Spirit to act upon what we academically know of God so that it will become illuminated in our hearts.  Moses actually spoke with God but he still desired to see him with his eyes.  God graciously gave Moses a glimpse and it was enough to have a profound effect upon him.  We can pray that Ephesians 1:18 prayer also, for the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened.  We are transformed as we behold our God (2 Cor 3:18).  This is a time to seek His face and not only look to receive from His hands.  

STAY CONNECTED WITH OTHERS

I pray that we will phone and video chat each other more during this time, because even though there is to be physical distancing, we need each other socially.  We need to keep encouraging one another and doing more corporate prayer time by the internet.  Technology is a great help in this season.

How we respond in trouble is what will be the light to our families and the world; we are the light of the world.  I purpose to use this time of lock down to lift up the body of Christ all around the world, to lift up our church leaders, government leaders and the medical personnel who are at such great risk and exhaustion on the frontlines of this pandemic.  This is a time to touch the world and each other with our prayers of faith.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
    And who shall stand in his holy place?
⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not lift up his soul to what is false
    and does not swear deceitfully.
⁵ He will receive blessing from the Lord
    and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek the face of the God of Jacob.^[b] Selah

Psalm 24:3-6 ESV