Coronavirus Fear: Fighting back with scripture
I feel like there is a point to be made about talking about fear and yet another to live it out. I am not particularly concerned with the Coronavirus. I figure anything that is named with a crown is already doomed to failure in the face of the King of Kings. 😊
But we have seen panic and anxiety around the globe, disinfectant and face masks flying off the shelves. There are many, many people with the what-ifs that are not just a stream of worry but have created rapids and waterfalls of worry.
What if the Coronavirus …
What if … it comes to my town? My kids get it? My mom gets it? Do we have enough soap, oh antibacterial soap? Did we get more laundry detergent? And do we have those Clorox wipes? What is the pantry situation if I have to stay home with a sick one? Enough…. STOP.
Truth: The virus is no worse than the seasonal flu. We keep good hygiene in the house, and we can wash a little more often. The flu is not rapidly spreading. Medical professionals are trained to handle this. I don’t have to handle it, just stay informed.
God’s Truth: God is good. Fear is a liar. My Lord will accompany me all of my days, the waters will not overtake me. Even if I do get ill, or a loved one, he will not abandon us. He welcomes the outcast and heals the sick. It may look like I’m surrounded by virus, but I surrounded by God. I stand in His love and reject fear.
Mark 10:18 – Psalm 16:8 – Isaiah 43:2 - Deut 31:8 – Luke 5:27 – Matthew 4:23 – Psalm 125:2 – Romans 5:5
I haven’t talked much about music, but it is a very powerful way for us to call out to God and dwell in praise to him. I included some song lyrics in the example above. And if I need to, I can hook into YouTube and listen to ‘Stand in Your Love’ or ‘Goodness of God’ or ‘Fear is a Liar’ and that drives out fear. I sing my little heart out and surrender to the all-powerful Spirit.
Prudence vs Fear
I want to take a moment to look at the verse in 2 Timothy again. God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but he has given us a Spirit of self-control, which is also translated as prudence. There are very real threats outside of us, including sickness: colds, flu, viruses, and more. God has given us a spirit which encourages prudence, or wisdom to prepare for such things. By all means, please do encourage more handwashing, and maybe wipe down the doorknobs more often. I read a list of things we never consider cleaning, oh wow – when was the last time you cleaned your keys? We can be prudent, but when these concerns become oppressive or drive our decisions, we need to call out and together with the Spirit to surrender to STOP. There is a line that we have to be aware of. Surely that is why the topic of worry comes up so often with Jesus in the Gospels – we are prone to excessive prudence. But the Spirit will assure us of our preparation and calm us in the knowledge that He accompanies us.
