A couple of nights ago, I had trouble falling asleep, although I was exhausted. I was tossing and turning in the bed and just could not get comfortable. My phone was turned off, and the house was quiet and still. I started meditating on the goodness of the Lord and felt the urgency to pray. I found my prayer corner in my bedroom and started reaching out to the Lord. While in prayer, the Lord laid a song on my heart. It was an old song that I had not heard in a long time.
“Jesus I’ll never forget, what You’ve done for me
Jesus, I’ll never forget, how You’ve set me free
Jesus, I’ll never forget, how You’ve brought me out
Jesus, I’ll never forget, oh never”
As I thought about the song’s catchy lyrics that night, I remembered singing that song when I was a young child. I would clap and worship with the congregation but never thought about the words of the song until that night. Isn’t it easy for us to sing songs without even thinking about the words? That can be dangerous.
That night, the Lord reminded me of a conversation with one of my dear friends earlier. I remember telling this friend that last year, 2020, was the worst year in my life and it appears like nothing was good or memorable about it.
- Rumors of World War III in early January
- The death of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant and everyone on his helicopter
- Canceled summer plans
- Murder Hornets that came from China
- Racial Injustice
- Millions of unemployed Americans
- Sahara Dust Storm
- Churches not being able to open because of the pandemic
- Hurricanes
- An ugly 2020 election
- Earthquakes
- Food Shortages
Then, COVID-19… so many people around the world got sick and died. Many are still dying of this strange, deadly plague and there seems to be no end to it. This deadly virus has dramatically changed the world forever.
As I reflected on the conversation that I had with my peer, I was convicted. The Lord showed me that I was ungrateful and pessimistic.
I questioned myself: Do I really trust God? Do I believe in the power of our God? I quickly repented.
The Lord showed me in prayer that night that I must be grateful even when everything seems to be going wrong. The Lord has kept me through the chaos of 2020. I have MORE than enough to be thankful for! Despite the sadness, sickness, deaths and other painful losses, we must understand that we serve a SOVEREIGN GOD.
The Lord also reminded me of the story of Job in the Bible. Job was a “blameless” and “an upright” man who feared God (Job 1:1). For Job, everything that could go wrong in his life went wrong. Job lost everything. He had circumstances in his life that he had no control over. He lost his properties, servants, and children. Job also got terrible skin sores and had a wife that told him to denounce Christ but Job not. (Job 1:13-19; 2:9-10). Job maintained his integrity with God, “[a]nd said, naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21). Through all the losses and disappointments Job experienced, he maintained his faith and trust in God. He never blamed or cursed God. This is because the Lord GIVES, and the Lord TAKES away. (Job 1:21)
God is God! Again, GOD IS SOVEREIGN!
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I know that we are all praying for the healing of the land from COVID-19.
We have been asking God to let us go back to our comfortable, pre-COVID life but positive changes seem to be so distanced. Many feel like our prayers have been ignored BUT have you ever thought about asking God for His perfect will to be done rather than our will?
What if God permits COVID-19 to never go away but only get progressively worse?
What would we do, if we suffered great loss as Job?
What would our attitudes be?
Will we still love and worship God the same way we do, now? (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Do we only love God for blessings and prosperity? Or, do we love God for who He is?
Do we really love the Lord?
I know these are all rhetorical questions but let us think about these questions…
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Please be reminded that as we get closer to the coming of the Lord, life will become harder and more challenging to live for the Lord. Remember that the Bible refers to living in perilous times in the last days. (2 Timothy 3:1) Through every season of adversity, betrayal, and disappointment in life, God always remains faithful. He never fails! No matter what the circumstances are in my life, God will forever be good.
So friend, never forget about God’s love and mercy.
Never forget about His grace.
Never forget about His protection.
Never forget about the times He forgave us when we failed to read His Word and neglected to pray and fast.
Never forget about the times when we were backslidden in our hearts and minds, yet God never stopped loving us.
Friends, I am not here to say that life will get better for us in 2021; I am saying that we have hope. Our hope is not in politicians, vaccines, scientists, or even in doctors. Our hope can only be found in Jesus Christ. He is coming back for His Church, so we MUST be ready (Matt. 24:36).
I urge you, cling to Jesus in these uncertain times. Remain faithful to the precious faith and please, never forget that God will be God and will always be sovereign!
With much love,
-Bri
Simply Bri 