I’ll be frank. I felt I had a good sense of control over the whole coronavirus pandemic. I felt I had good footing. I felt that living where we live, we wouldn’t be as impacted as our family and friends in other parts of the world.
Well. Someone grabbed the game console and pushed the reset button that caused our family’s world to be flipped upside down.
People will say that this is the line of work we signed up for. I’m guilty of saying that as well. But as much as you can mentally prepare yourself for these future changes, there’s nothing that can prepare your heart and emotions for all the decisions being made (whether it’s your decision or someone else making those decisions for you).
Faith. Trust. Concern. Worry. Stress. Joy. Disappointment. Relief. More disappointment. Isolation. Helplessness. Pressure. Rushed. Fellowship.
To be honest, I’ve found myself looking at Twitter or the CDC website more than the Bible to find more information about this ongoing crisis. What new laws are being made? Any new restrictions?
After going through a litany of emotions and states of mind, I’ve begun to understand why I felt tired and apathetic. I thank the Lord that He started reminding me of a verse that has been “stewing” in my heart.
You have said, “Seek my face.”
Psalm 27:8
My heart says to you,
“Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
Found this little nugget of gold while reading Union with Christ by Rankin Wilbourne. Filled with a lot of good anecdotes and providing different angles on this doctrine, I found this one verse to be clarifying and encouraging. It is simple and sweet. It’s quite possibly my new tombstone verse.
In the midst of the chaos of living overseas during a pandemic, this simple command continues to be my anchor. Am I seeking the LORD first before anything else? Where is my heart when I’m faced with wave after wave of uncertainty and changes? In the end, it goes back to seeking His face above all else.
I’m praying that, while I will still look at Twitter and at the CDC website for information, my attitude will be different. That I’m not hungering for that information so that I can feel safe or more secure. Rather, I save that hunger and desire for the truths found in Scripture.