Senior chooses to seek refuge in God amidst pandemic

To say that we are in “uncertain times” is an out-of-touch understatement. Thanks to COVID-19, everyone’s daily life has been greatly impacted. We can no longer have public gatherings, go to school, travel or even go to the movies with our friends. The media and medical professionals have told us to stay inside, avoid contact and cover your face or people will die.

For my generation, this is the first global issue we have ever faced. We have never lived through a world war, and are mostly too young to remember 9/11.

This is all an entertaining plot for a thriller movie, but not a reality any of us want to live in. This pandemic has rocked our world, leaving us disoriented and confused. Will things ever go back to normal? Only God has the answer to that question.

However, while things may seem bleak, I am simply choosing faith over fear.

I have faith in a God who is much bigger than this disease, one bigger than we could ever imagine. He created the furthest stars, tallest mountains, deepest oceans, and yet He loves us dearly. Although we often fail to recognize the power and majesty of God, he still desires to be in relationship with us.

A verse that I constantly reflect on is included in Jesus’s illustration in Matthew 6:26-27, during the Sermon on the Mount.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

If God cares about all these little, seemingly meaningless things, surely he cares for something as important as you and I. In the following tweet, Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. provides an inspirational quote regarding worry.

https://twitter.com/richwilkersonjr/status/1239360113347047424

Sometimes it seems that God is not present, especially in times of crisis. He can feel like a distant entity who watches us struggle. Although this may be what other religions believe, we as Christians do not. We get to take refuge in a God who loves us, and asks us to trust in him. I find constant comfort in David’s passage written in Psalm 23.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Even though this may seem like the biggest trial of our lives so far, the Lord is right here with us. I believe that by choosing to listen to his voice and studying the scriptures, we can find peace in the storm.

When my mind becomes weak, I always find myself listening to worship music to re-align my thoughts. I recommend checking out the new albums by Maverick City Music and Elevation Worship.

COVID-19 is completely out of our control, but not God’s. We get to choose how we react to this. Will we coward in fear over an uncertain future, or will we stand courageously on a firm foundation in the midst of crisis?

For more articles read COLUMN: International student shares bilingualism benefits, learning Vietnamese and COLUMN: Outward thinking leads high school students to volunteer in community.

Logan Lewis can be contacted via Instagram, Twitter, and email.