How are you keeping my friends?

I’m vividly aware that our hearts, minds and spirits have been taking a battering with fear and negativity lately.

On some levels, how can we not get sucked into the fear and worry for what is to become of our societies? Media reminds us daily of the overwhelming amount of Covid-19 cases and increased deaths across Europe and America especially.

But on the other side of fear and worry, are hope, community, and love. Which would you rather be living in, fear or hope? Probably for all of us, we swing like a pendulum between the two sides as we live day by day within the new normals set in place.

Early one morning, I felt God gently say, “Stop fighting all of the fear and worry in your heart. I am strong, mighty, and faithful enough to pull you through. Just let go of your expectations during this time and trust Me like you have never before.” Perhaps this is a message that really, all of us need to hear?

It encouraged my heart to know that of all the many people in the world, God personally knows each one of us. (Exodus 33:17) He loves us and he promises to be with us in times of need. (Joshua 1:9) I don’t have to know what the summer or autumn might look like. Jesus is by my side (Matthew 28:20) and really, that truth is enough for me to embrace throughout this world crisis.

I was also convicted with all of the expectations I seem to have stored up for my life. On one of the days the kids were being especially needy this week, I think I heard, “Mummy!” called out every few minutes all day long, to be the referee in their bickering arguments. Annoyed and grieving my normal mornings to myself without the children, I realised that I’d come to expect that time to myself and had taken it for granted.

We all have choices in this new season. Are we going to fight it and be annoyed with our new norm? Or are we going to embrace the discomfort and allow God to press our reset button? Will we allow Him to redefine and shape our lives into something better and more beautiful than we could imagine?

Let’s choose to embrace this season, annoyances and all. As we let go to what we think we are entitled to or just expectations of how life should be, we become more ready to accept that God has greater plans for us. He can and will use anything, even a global pandemic, to bring about His good plans and draw His people back home to His heart.

Does it grieve His heart to see his children in pain and losing loved ones? Absolutely. Jesus wept when his friend Lazarus died. (John 11:33-35) We cannot deny that this is very heartbreaking for so many. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I do know that God is fully loving and that He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5) Through life’s challenges, He wants us to stay close, be reliant, and allow Him to guide us through. (Psalm 119:105)

So let’s be wise in this season and choose to let God press our reset buttons! Letting go of expectations we assumed for our lives, may Jesus be ever close to us and the Holy Spirit enabling a deep working in our whole existence.

I’m including the beautifully, encouraging lyrics of Russell Kelso Carter’s hymn, Standing On The Promises. May these words be the prayer of our hearts today and always:

1 Standing on the promises of Christ my king,
through eternal ages let his praises ring;
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of God my Savior;
standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

3 Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

4 Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

Listen to the Classic or Modern hymn and be blessed today!