It’s no surprise that every person right now is anxious about the global effects of the coronavirus outbreak. A huge shift in the stock market can be seen due to fear. Many companies are struggling which affected many investments. The mortality rate and unemployment rate increases and businesses are shutting down along with the lockdown. Bain & Company cited that the growing effects of the pandemic in the economy are becoming apparent. Economists are even saying that we are down the path to recession. There is a lot out of our control, but we can control how we react.
When we are watching and reading all this news on a daily basis, it’s natural for us to feel insecure, unstable, and uncertain in so many aspects. We’ve never before encountered a catastrophe such as this. We’re caught unaware. At this time, the world needs people who steadfastly can adapt to change and become the embodiment of God’s love and grace. We’re propelled to model resiliency, generosity, and compassion. If we respond wrongly and people around us see fear, doubt and panic they’ll never understand the power of the living God in us because it’s not evidently seen.
React In Faith, Not Fear
Epidemics aren’t unusual to the early Christians, they too suffered from plagues and pestilence. Yet the way they respond to such calamity manifested their true faith and dependence on Almighty God. Martin Luther aptly put it in his letter to his friend Pastor Johann Hess, “our faith in that we may see and experience how we should act toward God; our love in that we may recognize how we should act toward our neighbor.”
We can find solace in the promises of our unchanging God even if the whole world is in chaos. He alone can heal the sick, the brokenness in our hearts and the deep recesses of the human soul. We need to be on our knees fighting this unseen enemy and endeavor to draw people to God. When death is at the doorstep, nothing else matters but the saving grace of God. Are we using this opportunity to show how people can rely on God and react in faith?
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
