Faith in a Time of Fear
A Disease Worse Than Corona
Over the past six months, the world has been plagued with a disease worse than the coronavirus. We have been oppressed by fear, and the kind of fear that has no stopping point. It seeks to take over families, friendships, businesses, schools, churches, our livelihoods, and the heart of every individual. It has two cards to play and these two cards have wreaked havoc on our world: the fear of death and the fear of losing loved ones. These fears strike at the core of our humanity, tearing us down into a state of helplessness and discouragement. Nonetheless, we’re told, “take heart” (John 16:33), for Christ has already conquered the world. What’s more, these fears are nothing new to humanity. “There is nothing new under the sun,” (Ecclesiastes. 1:9) and the fear of death and loss have been with the human race from the beginning. As one who has continuously struggled with various fears and anxieties throughout life (as many of us do), I can speak to the emptiness of the lies of fear and chaos constantly spoken into our lives today.
Fear always seeks control and is never satisfied. It’s ultimate aim is paralysis. And once we are paralyzed by fear, we are more susceptible to the entry of other evils which can now more easily speak their lies into our lives.
Anyway, you may be asking, how am I qualified to talk about what the world is going through? I should say, I am no epidemiologist or psychologist expert. I am not a doctor and cannot give you medical advice. Neither do I have authority as a church leader of any kind. I am a person like you, 6-ft socially distanced, experiencing this “weird time” (as everyone calls it). And I can speak to what I know to be the remedy for fear. My only “credentials” in speaking about such a topic is that I am Christian who has turned to the Lord for guidance and have felt inspired to share what he has given me in prayer.
The Remedy
The remedy for fear is faith.
Faith and fear cannot coexist in the heart of a person.
Fear says, “There is this big dark threat approaching don’t move a muscle or you will lose everything.”
Faith says, “Trust in the Lord, no matter what happens, you will lose nothing because you gain everything in Christ.”
Fear says, “This cannot be overcome.”
Faith says, “If you are rooted in God, storms may come but you will not be overcome.”
I honestly believe the biggest problem with the past six months has been the way fear has taken control of the world and led loss of faith in the hearts of many. Faith does not need to be put on hold until this is all over. Times like these are exactly what our faith is for. These are the times when choosing faith matters all the more!
Yes, the coronavirus has impacted the lives of many and yes, people have died. But I do not believe we are supposed to be afraid. I do not believe there is a reason to spiral into doubt and confusion.
In scripture, God makes A LOT of promises and everything he promises in scripture comes to fruition. Literally. God keeps to his promises. There is only one major promise still to be fulfilled in scripture: that Christ will come again. God has fulfilled every promise in His time; it’s certainly reasonable to assume that he will hold to this one as well.
Scripture says:
“...and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory...you must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Matthew 24:30,44
And again scripture says:
“so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.”
Hebrews 9:28
And again, said three times in the very last chapter of the bible:
“Behold, I am coming soon.”
Revelation 22: 7,12, 20
AHH! Y’all!! Christ will come again. This is not even a question. The only question is whether or not you will be going with him when he comes. But here he gives another promise:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled...in my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.”
John 14:1-4
Um. Woah. PEOPLE. THINK ABOUT THIS FOR ONE MOMENT.
Heaven is real. And there is a place for you there.
This world is only our temporary home:
For here [in this world] we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come.”
Hebrews 13:14
And again:
“If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.”
John 15:19
Hope in Heaven
We are reminded multiple times in scripture - and through the lives of the saints and martyrs in history - that we are not living for this life. As believers, we are living for the kingdom of heaven. Heaven is our forever home. If we have faith in this, we do not need to fear the loss of this life. In fact, we are specifically told to be willing to die:
Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested...remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Revelation 2:10
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Luke 9:23-24
Naturally, there is a human disposition that makes it difficult to suffer pain and let go of what we have on earth. I struggle with this just as much as the next person. But I do know that I am not supposed to go around living like an unbeliever who has no hope of heaven. In other words, those who don’t believe in Christ DO have plenty to lose and plenty to fear with this life ending. It makes sense to me why the world would be in a frenzy with the onset of a potentially deadly virus that cannot be contained and I believe the prince of this world (Satan) is having a hay day at the chaos that is ensuing. But for Christians, “this world and all its enticement are passing away but who ever does the will of God will live forever” (1 John 2: 17).
“You must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and because of their hardness of heart.”
Ephesians 4:17-18
“Let no one deceive you...for you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”
Ephesians 5:6-8
“Amen, Amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.”
John 16:20-22
How to Live This:
I am not saying that we should live carelessly. I am saying that we should choose faith over fear.
If you feel afraid and do not know how to stop those fearful emotions and thoughts…
Focus on today and today choose faith with your will, which has the ability to overpower your emotions.
Turn off the news. Separate yourself from all the media sources which are constantly speaking fear into our lives. Take a break. You will not miss anything vital.
Pray routinely.
Repeat, “Jesus, I trust in you.”
Turn to scripture.
Read these words:
“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.”
Matthew 6:34
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid...I am going away and I will come back to you...I have told you this before it happens, so that you may believe.”
John 14: 27-29
“For God did not give us a spirit of fear but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord; but bear your hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.”
2 Timothy 1:7-8
“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
“The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Romans 8:18
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39
Sickness and death will not have the last word over those who believe in Christ. Sickness is not the worst thing that could happen to us. Death is not even the worst thing that could happen. Offending God and not spending eternity with Him? That is the worst thing that could happen.
Trust in the Lord in challenging times such as these.
One Last Story:
Catholics celebrate the month of October as the month of the Rosary. It is a month where we remember the promises of God given to those who pray the words of the rosary.
In 1917, Mary the Mother of God began appearing on the 13th of each month to three children in Fatima, Portugal. The children were criticized about their claims surrounding these visions until October 13, 1917. On this day, Mary showed over 70,000 people a miracle to prove she really was appearing and was sent from heaven to give a message.
The message was simple: pray the rosary for the conversion of sinners and prepare your heart for eternity.
The three children were so in love with the Lord, they begged Mary to take them with her back to heaven. She said two of them would soon join her but the other would live a long life of suffering on earth.
The two children who were to die soon were Francesco and Jacinta. They were brother and sister and they both died at the ages of 10 and 11 of the 1919 influenza epidemic in Portugal.
From one perspective, this is a tragedy; two lives lost at such a young age. But from another perspective, from the perspective of these faithful children, this was the moment they had been eagerly awaiting for two years. This was when they got to enter into heaven!
It is hard for us to wrap our mind around such an innocent desire for heaven and a profoundly beautiful love and trust in God, but we have much to learn from these little children.
God allowed two children that he loved very much (so much that he sent his mother to appear to them) to die of a flu. This is not the worst thing that could ever happen, rather, this was a great gift to the children because they were given eternal life in heaven which is better than we could ever imagine as we are told, “our eyes have not seen, our ears have not heard, and our hearts cannot fathom what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
It is going to be that good. Have faith!
Some Good Resources:
To learn more about what happened in Fatima, go here.
To learn more about Marian Apparitions in general, go here.
To read two great blog posts by author, Charles Fraune, click the following links: