Faith in God is not a feat of greatness accomplished by the powerful, it is an attitude of humility realized in our time of weakness. We don’t trust Him because of what we can do, we trust Him because of what we can’t do. The right mindset in a time of crisis is essential.
Anxiety can overwhelm our ability to think clearly and to act confidently. God has not given us the spirit of fear. Consider these five things as you manage fear and anxiety through the power of the spirit.
1. Be optimistic and realistic not apocalyptic.
If you want to increase your level of anxiety and fear ask, “What is the worst possible scenario?” Our minds tend to answer with an apocalyptic imagination. Our ability to spin scenarios of doom and gloom become devastating to our sanity. Instead of dwelling on what “could be”, focus on what you know is real. Refresh and renew your mind with the truth. God is in control. He loves you. The world is NOT coming to an end. Ignore your imagination and trust His firm foundation.
2. Don’t borrow tomorrows grace for today’s problems.
Anxiety is usually the result of being overwhelmed. Take one day at a time. In Exodus 16 God miraculously met the most basic need of the Israelites, food. In their time of need God rained down bread from heaven called manna. Each day the Hebrews were commanded to collect only enough Manna for a single day. If they collected for additional days, the leftovers or “future savings” would rot and stink. God made the collection of manna daily because He wanted His people to learn to trust Him daily for their needs. Trusting God doesn’t mean that we sit at home doing nothing. It means we are faithful to “gather” or work on what is real and what we can do today. Leave the rest with God. Don’t try to fix problems you don’t have control over. Don’t stress about things you cannot change. He will provide grace for the future in the future.
3. Believe what you say.
“God is in control.” “God can work everything out for good, even the evil.” “Nothing is too big for God.” These are phrases we say as Christians, but do we really believe what we say? Times of crisis can reveal personal hypocrisy. In moments of crisis God calls the phrases we frequently speak to the test. Let us put our words into practice and trust in the God who is more powerful than economic uncertainty and the coronavirus! If He created the world, He can handle whatever you are facing.
4. Laugh when you can.
Proverbs 17:22 teaches that a merry heart is like a medicine. Watch something funny. Give yourself space to laugh. Share a Meme or Gif. Take the pill of humor as often as you can.
5. Call the right person.
Often in times of difficulty we text or call someone we trust. We pass our cares and worries onto someone who can do little to help us. Right now there is no call more important than your call to God. We must call out to Him for protection, for wisdom, for confidence, and for healing. He is there and He wants to hear from you and to do for you. “Cast all your care on Him, because He cares for you.” Don’t forget to call!
Not only does confidence in God allow us to have healthy, joyful and productive lives, how we handle the emotions of fear and anxiety during crisis is a testimony to an unbelieving world. Our confidence in our Savior and God in the most difficult circumstances is a declaration to the world of the greatness of our God.
If there is a way we can pray for you specifically during this time send us an email at hello@thecenterfortruthinlove.org.
