1. Talk to God
God
knows more about the coronavirus and the true state of the world than any human
does. He also knows you and loves you
more than anyone else. Talk to Him about
your concerns, and ask Him to help you sift through the murky cloud of
voices. Let Him comfort, encourage, and
guide you. Ask Him for His protection
and provision, and listen to Him when you sense that He is asking you to do (or
not do) something. Spend time with Him
and allow His voice to ring out clear over all the others. Come to Him in gratitude, worship, and
humility, and allow Him to lift your eyes and your countenance. Agree with Him about the ways you’ve screwed
up, and align your thoughts with His Word.
Sit with Him until your heart is fully convinced that He is enough. “The eyes of the LORD are toward the
righteous and His ears are open to their cry” (Psalm 34:15). “The effective prayer of a righteous man can
accomplish much” (James 5:16b). “Pray
without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
2. Practice Gratitude
Gratitude
reminds us of what God has already done and how He has already provided. It gives us confidence to keep relying on Him
as we walk through turbulent waters.
Coupled with tip number 1, it quiets our worries and guards our hearts
and minds with a supernatural peace that only Christ can give as we stay near
to Him (Philippians 4:6-7). The Bible
also tells us expressly that giving thanks in all circumstances is God’s will
for us (1 Thessalonians 5:18). One easy
and practical way to do this is to start a gratitude journal and write even
just a few short sentences or phrases about what you are thankful for that
day.
3. Trust God’s Provision
God
provides for the needs of those who seek after His kingdom. Look at Jesus’s lesson in Luke 12:22-34. His provision may not look how we expect it
to, but our needs will be met nonetheless as we follow and obey Him. Psalm 23 is another beautiful depiction of
God’s provision. We can trust Him. If we choose to believe that and act on it,
then our fear will melt away, our selfishness will dissolve, and we will be
more effective in serving others through the storm.
4. Don’t Act in Fear
When
we are scared for our own safety and well-being, the natural selfishness of our
sinful hearts bubbles up to the surface much more quickly and easily than
usual. In this high-alert and defensive
stance, we can find ourselves speaking rashly, acting erratically, and burning
all sorts of bridges along the way. Or,
we may go to the other end of the spectrum and mentally and emotionally implode
as we allow the anxiety and the darkness of our fears to overshadow
everything. Either way, we can end up
causing more damage than the original object of our fear. Instead, find ways to manage your fear and
stress. Practice deep breathing through
your nose when you catch your mind running wild. Get plenty of sleep, water, and real food. Take extra care to “be quick to listen, slow
to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19 NLT). For heaven’s sake, don’t make any big
decisions while you are in this state if you can help it. And above all, practice tip numbers 1, 2 and
3.
5. Extend Mercy & Grace
We
all succumb to fear occasionally during times like this. Remember that fact, and be willing to extend
mercy and grace to those who hurt you.
Our anger and pain can blind us from seeing situations with compassion
through another’s perspective. Don’t
excuse or ignore sinful behavior, but muster the courage to communicate through
the conflict with a healthy amount of understanding and gentleness. Pursue reconciliation, and remember that you
also need others to show you grace and mercy when you fail. See Colossians 3:12-14.
6. Balance your Intake
With
the bombardment of instant information from countless resources, we need to be
careful to limit our exposure to the negative and disturbing things happening
in the world. This is not to say that we
should be uninformed, but that we should be intentional about avoiding an
overdose of the madness. Don’t lose
sight of what is true or miss the joys of living in the present. Replace some time reading links on Facebook
with reading God’s Word or listening to worship music. Watch a feel-good movie that you know lifts
your spirits. Check out Philippians 4:8
for some general guidelines about where we should allow our minds to camp
out.
7. Check on Friends
I am
an introvert through and through with a textbook melancholic temperament. For those who are like me, the chance to
stay home with limited outside interaction is a welcome break from the normal
pace of life. However, not all of us are
wired the same way. The extroverts out
there, especially those who like to process their thoughts outwardly in
conversation, are likely struggling with the whole idea of social
distancing. Even beyond temperaments, some
of your friends are facing really difficult business decisions, anticipating
financial loss from a lack of work, or buckling under the weight of having a
worldwide pandemic added to personal trials they were already battling. Shoot them a text or give them a call. Let them know they aren’t alone or
forgotten. Ask them how they are feeling
about everything. Listen well. If you haven’t already, you will eventually
need that kind of care too, even if you are an introvert. “Christ died for us so that, whether we are
dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. So encourage each other and build each other
up, just as you are already doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 NLT)
8. Offer and Accept Help
Toilet
paper is suddenly a high commodity, and groceries are flying off the shelves
like it’s the end of the world. Let
people know how you can help. Give what
you can while knowing that God will provide for your needs. When He tugs on your heart to give even to
the point of sacrifice, trust Him. He is
a generous gift giver, and He sees and blesses when you reflect His
character. Give knowing that you may
soon be the one in need, and don’t be too proud to accept help. Allow others to bless you as they obey what
God is calling them to do. “Two are
better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will
lift up his companion. But woe to the
one who falls when there is not another to lift him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). We are stronger together; God made us that
way.
9. Refuse to Belittle or Mock
People
from all walks of life have widely differing opinions on the severity of the
coronavirus and the necessity of all the preventive measures that have been
recommended. No matter where a person
falls on the scale, the right thing to do is never to belittle or mock
them. That sort of self-righteous
attitude is not productive and only causes greater division and confusion. Proverbs has a lot to say about scoffers
(3:34; 14:6; 21:24; 22:10; 24:9 to name a few).
Strive to communicate your opinion in a humble and considerate manner
(which doesn’t mean it can’t be clear, firm, and bold as well), and refuse to
resort to nastiness toward those who disagree with you.
10. Be Wise
I
don’t want to harp on this one too much because it’s covered pretty well in the
news and social media right now. Listen
to your healthcare professionals. Stop
stealing the masks and the hand sanitizer.
Wash your hands, stay home if you feel sick, avoid going out in public
when possible, and practice good health in general. I know some people think this is all way too overblown;
even so, we know it is not nothing. Be
cautious, but not cowardly. “A prudent
person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences” (Proverbs
22:3). Also, if you need wisdom for
making decisions through this whole process, read James 1:5-8.
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