Peace in a Time of Trouble

Some Scriptures for Meditation:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
–Jeremiah 29:11

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
–Romans 15:13

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
–John 14:27

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
–John 16:33

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
–1 Peter 5:7

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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 4:47

This is a crazy time. Covid-19 has changed the world. And while we are all in isolation, our emotions can range from anxiety to frustration to fear.

One thing is for certain: we all need the Lord. And we all need to remember that He is on His throne and He has a plan. He is a mighty God. He’s got this. And He’s got us.

If you’re feeling a little uptight right now, why not re-read these Scriptures several times slowly, one by one. Be still for a while and invite the Lord to speak to your heart.

Who Am I?

by Veronica Morrison, Pastor of Women’s Ministry

Surrender your anxiety! Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God. I am the God above all the nations, and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth. – Psalm 46:10 (TPT)

I was talking with a friend yesterday who had been looking forward to her graduation from ASU this May. We were processing together the disappointment and all the emotions that have come up in light of the pandemic, and the loss of her hopes and dreams with graduation. The big question that has come up for her, myself, and many others during this time is “If I am not what I do, then who am I?”

You may be feeling like me—more aware than ever before how I have let my everyday tasks define me. It was never my intention to do so, but somehow I let my hectic life become a part of the definition of who I am.

Who am I? Well, who was I? A few weeks ago I was a busy person who was constantly moving from one task to the other so that, at the end of the day, I could feel like I had value. But now all that is gone. I am left with myself. 

This forced stillness has been quite revealing. A good example of what has been revealed to me is actually seen in my reflection of my own children. Observing my children I have discovered that kids with nothing to do are actually quite amazing. At first, they are whiny and, well, frankly, annoying. But give them enough time with their boredom and something incredible happens. They turn a corner and become deeply themselves. It’s so fun to watch. They start to become silly and creative. They become fascinated with the things around them. They look at the clouds and make up stories, and play games with one another, and laugh until they cry or pee their pants. Few things give me greater joy then watching my kids be fully themselves. 

I think that is probably how the Lord is looking at all of us during this season. We may have complained a little bit at first. We may even have been a little whiny and annoying. But after a while we start to become our authentic selves. We started enjoying God’s creation, being present with our families and friends, laughing and delighting in things we forgot give us joy. 

There is so much loss in this time. And I am so grieved by all the suffering. But our God always makes beauty from ashes. And some of the beauty in this might be us becoming fully alive as we stop defining ourselves by our to-do lists. As we slow down and become more ourselves, we allow our very beings to be a blessing to our Heavenly Father. God takes joy in watching us take notice of Him and the beauty around us. 

I pray that, when this crisis passes, we won’t go back and get caught again in the net of striving. That we will rely on the peace of God. That we will take joy in Him and the goodness He surrounds us with. That we really would allow Him to be exalted in our lives and in the world.