The Trust Factor vs. The Fear Factor
By Joyce Wachsmuth --
My husband Doug and I first heard about the coronavirus while we were on vacation in Hawaii about four weeks ago. At that time we had a lot of questions, such as, “Will this affect our travel back to the mainland? How do I protect myself from catching the virus? Should I wear a mask? Do I have enough hand sanitizers? Will this virus spread to Oregon (because at that time Washington reported one case)?” Since then, our initial questions have turned to, “Will this ever be contained? Will it continue to spread in all the states? What about the stock market, and how can I protect my investments? Are people getting the help they need? How will this affect our community? How will this affect my family? How are we helping our community navigate this pandemic?”
In times like these, the challenge for followers of Christ is about the trust factor versus the fear factor in our lives. When there is confusion and uncertainty, it is easy for me to react in fear. Fear of the unknown can grip my heart and paralyze me to not trust the Lord, but to worry. One of verses I turn to is in Isaiah.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 NASB
The Lord is sovereign, and He is the blessed controller of all things. We can trust His hand of mercy and grace in all circumstances.
Another question is whether your trust factor is victorious over your fear factor? One of the best antidotes to fear is prayer!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Prayer connects me to Jesus, and I can ask him for help, and through the Holy Spirit, receive the peace that will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Together as a community, we can pray for God’s protection and guidance.
This pandemic is hitting us at Greater Portland as we have become aware of friends in our community with health conditions who have chosen to not attend our gatherings as a precaution. Being respectful of their decision, I believe, it is critical to love one another. If you are aware of people in our community making this choice, be sure to make a point to call them and express your love to them. I encourage small group leaders to check in with your group members to encourage and pray with them.
As we have been challenged through our pastor, Greg, to live in "The Upside-Down Kingdom”, we have the opportunity to go and reach out to the community around us. It could be that you have a neighbor that is gripped with fear about the coronavirus and checking up on them will be an encouragement. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can reach out to others.
Our mission as a church is helping people follow Jesus together. We need each other, so let’s trust Jesus together!