“Trust the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; submit to Him in all your ways…and He will direct your paths.” v.5-6

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil [our own desires, intentions, diversions, thoughts, and even feelings].

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” The Main Thing is the Gospel [Good News] of Jesus Christ:

• He is the Anointed One, the Jewish Messiah
• He came from heaven to earth, lived, died, rose again, ascended
• He is coming back for His Church, His Bride
• He wants everyone to trust in Him for salvation

Our motto should be:

Whatever it takes to advance the Gospel

In America, Christians get all up in the air about sickness, job loss, divorce (although, not as much), and with things that threaten our health or security. Why?

• Is Christ not in control?
• Are we all not destined to die?
• Have we not taken a vow of poverty, in that we gave everything to Christ for Him to do with as He pleases?

Instead of asking, “Why,” and then praying for God to “fix it,” let’s pray, “Okay, LORD, what do I need to do so that You receive the most glory? How can I advance the Gospel through this crisis? Since You’ve chosen not to protect me from it, then use me in it and carry me through it.”

Who knows? God may have spent your entire life getting you to “such a time as this.” Proverbs 24:10 says, “If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!” In other words, to be strong in the LORD only when times are good shows that we really have not learned to trust Him, yet. Instead of seeing trying times as God forsaking us–or failing!–let’s look at them as growing seasons where our faith is tested, much like exercising our muscles when we work out.

The key to everything is PRAYER. All things in this life are to connect us with the Father. Our very salvation is designed for us to have a close and intimate relationship with Him through Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit.

Don’t get me wrong! I don’t look forward to hard times, but I do want to wring them for all they’re worth concerning my relationship with Christ and for His glory. I pray that this pandemic would bring many back to Him and would call our country to repentance. Selective obedience is disobedience. We need to give Him ALL.

Abba, may You work a mighty work in our country. I know You are using this Pandemic to call us back to You. May we heed Your discipline, O LORD. Whatever else You use, we accept as from Your hand. Increase our faith, Abba, and call many to Your side. Heal our land, O LORD. Do whatever it takes. Amen.