In a time where toilet paper is a rare commodity, countless people are out of work, people stockpile nearly 18,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to resell, and popular cities feel like ghost towns, it’s hard not to feel like we’re in the middle of an apocalyptic movie.
Just the other day when this pandemic first hit, I was at Whole Foods where finding a cart or basket was next to impossible and each register had 10+ people in line.
Our normal way of living has been flipped upside down.
The facts are real and people are dying. The effects of the virus are absolutely terrible. With something threatening public health it’s hard not to see anything other than tragedy. However, while we can acknowledge the issue, there is also a greater perspective for us to pursue.
GOD USES EVERYTHING FOR GOOD
Whether you can see it or feel it right now, God is using this situation for good. It’s what He does. He IS good and is accomplishing more than we acknowledge. The news coverage can make it feel like there is more evil at work than good, but it’s simply not true.
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 NIV
I believe dramatic revival will come from this season because it is shaking up our faith on a whole new level. Anytime my life has felt disrupted or I have been brought to a place of desperation, my faith has been greatly challenged. What do we really believe about God right now?
God uses the disruptions of the enemy to reset areas of complacency, establish a stronger foundational core, and ultimately build new callings for our lives.
A HOLY RESET
Humor me for a moment… It’s as if we have been running on Windows 2000 for a couple of decades and a complicated virus has gotten into our system. We’ve needed to do a hard reset and wipe our system clean to get rid of the junk that has built up, and this virus is finally forcing us to do something about it.
God wants to give us an upgrade with a whole new Spirit-driven operating system with supernatural CPU power that will allow us to do more than the simpler functions we’ve gotten used to doing.
He can’t do this unless we submit and reset. It is our choice of whether we respond to this virus out of fear…slapping anti-virus software on as a band-aid fix…OR we respond with intentional faith…allowing God to rebuild our system and mold us into someone who can do more than we ever imagined.
“FEAR IS FAITH IN THE WRONG GOD”
I heard Kris Vallotton speak this recently and it really shook me.
You’re always placing faith somewhere, whether it’s God, the enemy, or yourself.
The news constantly talks about how we are dealing with an “invisible enemy” in this season. That’s true, but it’s not the virus. It’s the fear holding us back.
Fear is built on thoughts about the future. We imagine in our head all the scenarios of what could possibly go wrong. When we go through something “unprecedented” (the word the White House loves to use) people panic because it’s hard to picture good outcomes.
Faith is built in God’s character and His word. We know that He is good, more powerful than what is happening, and will bring deliverance. Not just bare minimum survival deliverance, but abundant-promised-land-Joseph-ruling-Egypt deliverance.
In Joseph’s story, God knew the famine was coming. He had a plan and worked through evil circumstances to bring deliverance to His people and glory to His name. God looks at situations such as our current one and sees an incredible opportunity for the Kingdom.
Living in a world of “things are going to get worse” simply does not align with believing God is who He says He is.
THE RESET IS IN THE REST
Current-day culture has become so accustomed to the busyness that we have forgotten what it’s like to rest. Many of us are left with a lot of time on our hands in quarantine, which gives a perfect opportunity to practice slowing down. God wants to meet us in this time. Encountering Him is the solution to our problems.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
It may feel like we are going through a storm (almost literally), but remember that Jesus rested through the storm that He led the disciples and others into. Absolutely nothing should rob our peace because we have His Spirit of rest.
“He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40 NIV
If we are living without peace we need to stop trying to keep the boat from going under and go down in the stern and find Jesus.
WORSHIP OUT OF JOY
It’s rather humorous to think about how taboo joy can feel in the face of a challenge. We almost feel guilty for having it because it’s as if we aren’t respecting the gravity of what’s going on.
But the reality is that you shouldn’t respect what’s from the enemy! I’m not talking about avoiding following practical guidelines for safety and health (please, please wash your hands and stay at home when you can). I’m talking about not bowing to fear and giving it a greater place of importance than the fruit of the Spirit.
Scripture tells us to rejoice always. I think it would actually do many of us good to laugh a bit right now. Show the enemy you won’t entertain his tactics by actually enjoying spending time with your family at home. Find ways to cherish this time, worship joyfully, and be thankful. Now that is a declaration of faith!
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-8 NIV
We are about to walk into times of miraculous breakthrough with testimonies of countless lives saved. We just have to decide what voices we will listen to in this journey. Resetting can be uncomfortable because it means letting go of some things from the past, but it’s so vital for what God wants to do in the future. Let’s go deeper during this time and let God build something “unprecedented” in the best of ways.
How have you chosen to use this time to reset? Let us know in the comments below!
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