By: Emily Yanok
The entire world has been in a season of chaos – filled with sickness, violence and loss, yet at the same time, goodness and hope. You might ask how is goodness part of this season when chaos is all our eyes see? The answer is honestly up to you. Who or what are you putting your trust in? 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind.” This is a promise I’ve held deep in my heart, these past few months. Fear steals our joy, our driven mindset, and holds us captive from being who we truly are.
As Christ followers we can be content knowing Jesus is in control. It does not mean that the trust of that promise we abide in is easy, but personally I think it is worth it. Choosing to trust Jesus in the midst of chaos is an everyday decision, just like choosing to follow Him is a daily choice. We are all going through the same storm when it comes to the pandemic, but we are all in different boats. Some of us must deal with loss and pain while others deal with fear and anxiety. We all feel like we are swimming upstream lost and in search of answers.
While we long for the end of this pandemic and answers to our questions, we have access to the peace Jesus promised that truly does surpass all understanding. Lately, I find myself also dwelling on the passage from Luke 8:22-26. To summarize this story, Jesus said to His disciples “Let us go over to the other side of the lake” but He did not tell His disciples what they would go through to get to the other side. While they were on the boat, a violent storm blew in, but Jesus was asleep. His disciples were afraid and decided to wake Jesus. Jesus corrected them and asked, “where is your faith?” Jesus rebuked the storm and they made it safely to the other side. He needed them to trust that He was in control, even in their chaos.
It isn’t easy to find peace in the midst of a storm, but as Christ followers, it is the best thing we can lean into. Our peace is not found in things, but a person. “Peace is a person and His name is Jesus” is a great quote by Carl Lentz. Remind yourself of your heavenly Father’s promises. You have full access to Him, so make time to have a relationship with the one who created you. Study the Bible because that is God’s written word and what He says is true. The Bible says “do not fear” three hundred and sixty five times, which is one verse for every day of the year. This should reassure you of God’s goodness. Continuously remind yourself of God’s promises so you can live, knowing who holds your today and tomorrow.
