I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

Do we trust God? In the midst of the panic and chaos around COVID-19, do we trust Him? When we look ahead and see only uncertainty—do we really trust Him?

It’s a fearful time in our world. This newly created virus has been unleashed, creating havoc and producing anxiety. We’re worried about the health and safety of our loved ones, and we dread the personal results of the national economic fallout. This is a scenario most of us have not experienced—and many of us could not have imagined.

But God. 

Sisters, we must hold fast to the confident hope we have in our heavenly Father. As we wake up each day to a new normal, let’s lean into the Truths of His precious Word. 

• God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  Psalm 46:1-3 
• The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 
• Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 
• So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 
• The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him! Exodus 15:2 
• The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9-10 

These verses are not trite words to toss around. They’re not just the fodder to a pithy social media post. These are God’s promises to us. His Word is a light unto our path, it gives us wisdom, it endures forever. And when we hide His Word in our hearts, our minds will be renewed by His Truth.

There may be a lot of unknowns today. But, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can rest in confident hope—in the certainty—of His power, sovereignty, and love.

“I know that You can do everything and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.” 

Job 42:2

Have you ever gotten news that you’re literally unable to comprehend? You’re hearing words, but nothing’s processing because it’s beyond anything you could fathom. The fog eventually clears, and you realize everything is different. Everything. 

With COVID-19, we are currently in the midst of this type of situation—as a society. New uncertainties, fears, and “what ifs” are being unveiled on a daily basis.

Like pulling a loose thread on a knitted sweater, life as we know it is beginning to unravel. In these times, what is our response to God? 

I think of Job. Right from the start, this book is a hard-hitting drama. In a matter of minutes, Job finds out he lost his property, his animals, his servants—and all 10 of his children. His immediate response? “The Lord gave, and Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” He. Praises. God.

And, despite his not-so-helpful friends and a conversation with God Himself, Job never came to an understanding of why his life was shattered. God had His reasons, and He is Sovereign over everything. Ultimately, that was good enough for Job.  

When our lives are unraveling—with uncertainty, pain, loss, heartache—do we praise God in the midst of it all, knowing He is in control? I think a follow-up question is needed: Do we praise the Lord when things go well—a promotion, a good medical report, a successful child. Of course! We shout, “Praise God!” and give Him all the glory. It “all works for our good,” right?

Sisters, it does all work for good…even the suffering. Sometimes we see the purpose not long after we come through the other side. Often, though, things might not “make sense” until months or years later. And, as with Job, there will be times we won’t know God’s reasons this side of heaven. But, regardless of whether our life is being knit together perfectly so we see a beautiful pattern, or if threads are unraveling and all we see is the mess, God is in control. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). 

So, let’s lift a shout of praise for His sovereignty—whether through tears of joy or of sorrow. Let’s bless His name through it all, even as our circumstances unravel. And know this, others are watching—especially today amid the panic and chaos…and our response may just keep someone else from coming unraveled themselves.

Let’s pray together, shall we? “Lord, thank You for being in control of my life. All the time. I trust You—even through crisis, difficulty, defeat, and despair. Blessed be Your name.”

“Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish.”

Psalm 73:7

Do you ever cry out like the Psalmist does here? When reading through some of the Psalms, I all too often agree and think, “Yeah! Everything comes so easy for them. Why do other people have everything they want, while I struggle?” The proverbial grass “over there” seems a bit greener and more vibrant than mine.

Girls, comparison like this breeds envy. And envy seeps into our soul’s soil, establishing roots of bitterness and discontent. 

The struggle is real (and promised in this life). Physical pain, loneliness, job loss, marital woes…the list is endless, and we each have a unique set of challenges. So, how do we stop our wandering gaze and escape the traps of “woe-is-me” and “if-only”?

First, we have to focus on our own grass—our own circumstances. Sometimes it’s so easy to look away and see everyone else’s seeming blessings and miss our own. Here’s an idea: Really assess your life…home in on the Lord’s gifts. Did you see the sunrise or sunset that God made today? The bursts of colors glorify the Creator—and so does your vision to be able to see it. Do you have a roof over your head to stay warm during the winter months? Did you go to bed hungry last night (well, don’t answer that if you’re on a diet)? Is there one person in your life you can count on to be there for you?

Sister, you are richly blessed.

When you peer with intention into the meadow of your life, you’ll be astounded by the splendor that exists and the glorious blessings. Focus on what you have to be thankful for—the big things and the small things. Even our struggles and pains are purposeful, ultimately resulting in beauty. When we look for weeds, that’s all we’ll see…but when we look for the blessings, our perspective will change completely.

Most importantly, if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then, regardless of any rocks, weeds, or dead grass in life, you can choose contentment in His saving grace. You are the greatest miracle: once dead and now alive forever in Christ. And your pasture can’t get any greener than that.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

Has it happened to you? You’re enjoying a delicious dinner out with friends, talking and laughing the hours away. A few sweet teas into the evening, you hit the restroom and gaze at your reflected smile…only to see a big green hunk of spinach between your teeth. The mirror has shown you what your friends didn’t tell you—and you couldn’t see.

So, we take down the mirror off the wall and use it to clean our teeth, right? Of course not! The mirror only reveals the problem, it doesn’t fix it. 

This is a perfect analogy for God’s law. Throughout the Bible, the Jews were trying to use the law to achieve a level of holiness that would be acceptable to God. Even today, followers of nearly every world religion—and many Christians—believe the “rules” are steppingstones to salvation. 

But sisters, the law was never meant to be the way to God. Our Father in heaven is perfect, and He requires nothing less than perfection. So striving for rule-following, no matter how hard we try, will fail. Humans are not perfect, and we are incapable of following God’s law with perfect righteousness. 

Just like the bathroom mirror that reveals food caught in your teeth, the law is meant to show us we are not good enough for a perfect, Holy God. His law shows us how unrighteous we really are so we’ll run to the only One Who is perfect. Jesus came to this earth, fully God and fully man, to pay the price for our sinfulness. Because he died for us and rose again, we are able to accept His gift of grace and be made perfect in God’s eyes.

The mirror cannot remove the spinach from our teeth. But it was necessary to recognize there was a problem—a big hunk of green. And trying to follow God’s rules will not remove the stain of sin from our lives. The law shows us there’s a problem…but Jesus Christ is the only answer. 

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…”

Philippians 1:12

When setbacks happen, our natural response can be frustration, even anger. We had a vision for where we were heading and a specific plan of action…then things just veered off track. This can be a small impediment, like hitting every red light on your way to an important appointment, or a more substantial obstacle—a frightening medical report or an unexpected layoff.

As he was writing to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul was in prison, literally chained around the clock to a Roman guard. And this certainly wasn’t where he expected to be in his vision for advancing the gospel. But he wasn’t frustrated or angry at all. In fact, Paul saw his imprisonment as purposeful to God’s strategy. Now that’s the kind of attitude to have.

Can we do this? How can we see our trials and tribulations as progressions? It’s all about perspective, really. About looking around at the situation and the people involved to see how it could be used to glorify God. All those red lights? Perhaps the Lord is timing your trip to avoid a wreck or get you to your appointment just in time to connect someone who needs to hear your friendly, “Hello.” That layoff? Maybe a coworker needs to see what a Christian really looks like, as you handle the news with grace and godly confidence. (And, just maybe, the Lord has something much better in store for you—and He knew you’d never leave on your own.)

A change of circumstances, seemingly backward, can really be creating spiritual progress, so we end up exactly where He wants us. It’s all part of God’s curriculum in the classroom of our lives.

Are you in the midst of a reversal right now? It’s likely that the Lord is orchestrating it so He can advance your life or the life of someone you’ve come in contact with because of that reversal. So, sisters, let’s look around with this fresh perspective and take on a new attitude of grace and gratefulness in every situation. 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17

When you meet someone new, how do you describe yourself? By your job? Your hobbies? Perhaps you share some notable personality trait. And what about the people that know you already—how would they portray you? 

The most important perception—the only one that matters, really—is that of God. So, how do you think He sees you? Does the thought of answering this question make you cringe? Maybe you immediately begin thinking about where you’ve been in life and what you’ve done…and your head hangs in shame. There are choices you’ve made, whether last week, last year, or several decades ago, that you know weren’t in line with God’s Word. And even if you’ve accepted the grace of Jesus and know you’re forgiven, you can’t forget your past…and you believe God sees all that junk about you as well.

Sisters, here is the truth: When we trust Christ and surrender to Him, our sins are both forgiven and forgotten by our precious Father! “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). They are “cast in the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19) never to be drudged up—so let’s not do any fishing either. 

Even more miraculous and wonderful is the fact that we are made new when we accept the gift of salvation. “The old has passed away.” Do you know what that means? When the Lord looks at us, He sees pure righteousness and perfection because of the blood of Jesus. No past errors, no bad habits, no dirty sin. We are made white as snow. New. And if someone were to ask God to describe you—yes, you—He would say this: “Oh, isn’t she beautiful? Because of My Son, she shines like the sun.” 

So, think about this next time someone asks you about yourself. Or, better yet, grab onto that truth when the enemy of our souls, Satan, comes at you with all-too-familiar accusations, like, “Don’t forget about all your failures,” and, “You’ll never be good enough.”Stand firm, sister, and respond with boldness: “I am a daughter of the King, and I am a new creation in Him.”

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36

Freedom.
We think of nations
Of rights,
Government-given
And God-ordained.
 
We pledge allegiance,
Embrace patriotism.
Some fight to keep it,
And die so others live in it.
 
But there’s a freedom
That’s above nationality,
Beyond borders.
Individual freedom
Transcending this world.
 
Freedom 
From addiction,
From loneliness,
From depression,
From self.
 
And Someone suffered,
Dying a brutal death
To win this freedom.
One paid the price
For all.
For you.
 
Jesus conquered death,
Breaking the bondage
To sin in this world.
Through Him 
Our chains fall.
And we can live.
 
In freedom.

I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.

Psalm 6:6

Problems. Challenges. Trials and tribulations. These were all promised us in this life by the Lord Himself. Sadly, there are some Christians who believe (and teach) that being a Christ-follower means your life is all rosy—and if it’s not, it’s because you lack trust and faith. But the truth is, all we have to do is open any of the Bible’s 66 books to see otherwise. 

When those hard, painful times do come, and we turn to our Christian sisters for support, often we are given pillow-stitched verses in response. Of course, turning to the Word is a must, and the intentions of our friends are noble and good…

…but we know these things! We do trust that God is Sovereign. We are absolutely confident that He works all things for good in our lives (Rom 8:28). So, it’s not that we are unaware of God’s promises, we just need another form of comfort in these times.

In fact, sometimes these words of “support” can be frustrating when we simply just need to be in the pain. Even with the knowledge of God’s Truths, sometimes, like David in Psalm 6, we just need to cry. We need to feel our God-given emotions, cleansing our mind, heart, and soul. Even the Author of the Word—the Word made flesh—wept (John 11:35). Yes, Jesus, fully human and fully God, expressed His sorrow with tears.

So, sisters, when a friend reaches out to us with devastating news or a newly inflicted grief, let’s not automatically react with a familiar verse in an effort to spread balm. Instead, let’s follow Paul’s instruction from Romans 12:15 and “weep with those who weep.” Then, with tears mingling and the weight of sorrow shared, pray with her. For comfort and wisdom. For strength to hold tightly to the Rock that will sustain her amid the storm.

And don’t forget that the same is true when the agony is your own. It’s OK to call out to God with your frustration and distress. It’s OK to be certain of your faith in His plan and question the pain…and it’s certainly OK to cry.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

What would you pay for peace of mind? Maybe you’re willing to pay double for a pair of shoes you know will last—and be comfortable. Or, you hire a contractor that gave you the highest bid because he was referred by someone you love and trust. Perhaps that peace comes with sacrificing the good to wait on the better. Peace can cost us a lot.

Recently, I spent money (and time off from work) for a diagnosis that would determine whether I’d (a) have peace or (b) start a new journey of medical procedures. It’s important to note that I do not go to the doctor unless life or limb is at risk. So, for me to even consider this appointment, you can be sure my mind and heart were anxious. Praise the Lord, the result was aligned with my hope and prayer. I simply went home with less money in my account and a receipt that could very well have read, “Peace of mind, paid in full.”

And as I drove home, it struck me…peace of mind and heart may be costly to us, but peace of spirit—true and everlasting peace—is absolutely free. The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, paid in full the price of our salvation with His life. We can’t earn it, work for it, or pay for it. It is a free gift. All we have to do is accept it. 

So, let me ask again. What would you pay for peace? As Jesus Himself tells us: This world will bring trouble, worry, and fear. But we can take heart! Jesus has overcome the world and its troubles to bring us peace (John 16:33). The God of extravagant mercy and grace has given us His peace that can never be taken away. And it’s completely free.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Sisters, I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get so tired of running the race. Earning money to live, keeping up a home (cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc.), and managing our “little ones”—whether they’re in diapers, college debt, or divorce court. Then there’s the desire to serve the Lord and the associated activity (volunteering, working at church, etc.). Oh yeah, and there’s all the mental and emotional effort involved in trying to maintain relationships, remain healthy, and stay sane through it all. 

So. Tired.

Too often, we turn our attention to things that we hope will remedy the exhaustion, like mind-numbing television shows or the latest best-selling novel. Worse yet, we self-medicate with food, alcohol, or drugs, which may bring temporary relief, but always—always—makes us ultimately feel worse. 

So, where can we find rest for our weary souls?

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He implores us to give Him our burdens and learn from Him. Sure, we can talk and shout and cry to Him, unloading our weighty worries. But how does the Lord talk back? How can we “learn from Him”? Sister, Jesus is the Word (John 1:1-4). He speaks to us through the 66 books of His love letter to us. 

I know what you’re thinking…reading the Bible can easily become another to-do item on our already-long list. But it’s not meant to be! Time in God’s Word is designed to refresh us, renew our minds, and refuel our souls. Girls, God’s precious Word is the guidance we need as we navigate our life’s journey each and every day. It’s the cool glass of water handed to us as we propel ourselves along our race route. 

The Bible—the very words of Lord and Savior, Jesus—is our hiding place (Psalm 32:7). And God’s Word is the glue that holds us together when we’re falling apart. Run there and find your rest.