Anyone Confused?

Who is tired?
Who wishes life would return to normal?
Who feels out of control? 

Anybody?

Is it just me? Covid19 has rudely delivered all sorts of upheaval to my doorstep without ever asking my permission or apologizing for the havoc.

Here’s a confession. When life was normal, I used to get bored and wish for something new or exciting to happen. What could possibly be more exciting than living through social upheaval and a global pandemic? I don’t know, but I think I’d prefer a root canal.

How have I responded as people and activities and gatherings have been ripped away? Well, let me tell you. Sometimes I’m noble and brave and resilient. But when that 15 minutes passes, I find myself listless and bored and complaining and despondent. Besides forcing me to watch more Netflix, our current situation has caused me to ask some hard questions.

If you’re full of questions too, let me give you a hint. Facebook doesn’t have any answers. I mean, actually, it has LOTS, they just all disagree with each other and everybody yells at each other, and it’s very confusing. That hasn’t seemed very helpful.

As I complained to Jesus about this, I remembered James 1:5: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach...” OH yeah. Sorry Jesus. I forgot to ask You. Do You have any answers?

Not surprisingly, He has lots and they’re all contained in Scripture. Just in case you’re looking for some answers too, I’ll share what I found next.

Questions and Answers

Question: How am I supposed to act during this craziness?

• Answer: Micah 6:8: He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

• Application: The only thing I HAVE to do is act with justice, love with kindness, and walk with humility.

Question: What’s going to happen to the economy and our liberties and people’s health?

• Answer: Revelation 2:10a: Do not fear what you are about to suffer.

• Application: Even if what DOES happen next is catastrophic, and I suffer under the repercussions, the Lord remains in control so I don’t need to fear my NEXT.

Question: How should I respond to so many conflicting opinions?

• Answer: Psalms 119:106: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path

• Application: No matter what comes next, Scripture gives me the wisdom to navigate it, though I need to be prepared to follow with only enough light for the next step.

Question: How will these crazy times affect me?

• Answer: Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

• Application: the world and its conclusions might shift and change. Pandemics come and go. Deep divides continue. But God doesn’t want me shaped by those things as much as He wants to transform me by my leaning INTO Him during these times. HIS path is the only one through.

Question: What if I lose everything, even my life?

• Answer: Philippians 3:8: Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

• Application: NOTHING matters more than knowing Jesus. If these hard times reveal more of His character to my stubborn heart, then every single moment is worth it. If I lose my life and gain more of Him, then all the better.

Question: How will I ever get back to where I was doing before?

• Answer: Philippians 1:6: And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

• Application: Who said I should go back? God moves me forward by using ALL this to complete His work in me. And in you. And in the church. And in the Body of Christ around the world. May we never return to where we were before. 

Question: Why am I so scared about the future?

• Answer: Isaiah 41:10: fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

• Application: I’m scared because of a lack of faith. The Lord sits with me right in the middle of my present. Of course He will still hold me in my future. BECAUSE of who He is, I don’t need to fear or be dismayed.

Jesus doesn’t want His children tied up in knots and the saddest people on the planet. Of ALL people, we have HOPE. Hope!

• Romans 5:3-5: Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

So Christian, let’s buck up, pick up the Word, find some answers and offer them to a confused world.

Jesus answers ALL our questions in Himself. He is our hope.