” Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”
~ 1 Corinthians 16:13
Just like several other people, I had great plans for the year 2020. In my opinion it was going to be ( and still is ) a year of a fresh start, after all it’s a new decade, which makes it really significant. I looked forward to embarking on missions trip to the nations like never before. That was my plan but He had other plans and there is nothing anyone could have done to change those plan of His.
As we started the 1st quarter of the year, there was a reality that hit communities, organizations, nations and the world at large- the spread of the Covid 19 pandemic. A year that looked so promising began to look bleak and the pages of the newspapers, online news, various social media platforms and our television screens constantly got flooded with the news of the increasing effect of the pandemic.
Initially, it looked like a joke but seeing now that half part of the year is gone and we have the other half to go, yet there is still the presence of that one thing that has affected everyone of us in one way or the other, I doubt if anyone will consider it a joke.
Anxiety, panic, fear, uncertainties, new laws and policies regarding human movernment, social distancing, fashion, and public gathering became the in thing. What a lot of us have never experienced suddenly came upon the world. There is no doubt it met us unprepared because no one would have thought there was a need to prepare for such a thing humanly speaking.
The hopes, plans and aspirations of quite a lot of people began to look bleak and the strength of many began to fail them. Some either blamed God or the government for the outbreak or the spread of the virus. Sadly, the cases of death all over the world either from the pandemic or whatever health issues also began to rise and this brought about the fainting of the heart of even some so called ” standing believers”.
As unbelievers blamed God, so did some believers who even took a step further by questioning His existence and love. But like they say “You really cannot blame someone for what they do if you have not walked in their shoes because you will probably do worse if you were in the same shoes”. Some people have lost loved ones, colleagues, jobs, career opportunities, health, cash, investments, etc, due to the pandemic, while others have simply watched people go through other kinds of sufferings, unpleasant experiences and saddening events, and as a result came to the conclusion that God is unjust, mean, wicked and undeserving of the worship of man.
Will it be right to condemn these people based on their thoughts and conclusions about God? Definetely not. People go through times that break them so much they become a shadow of themselves. At such times, like Jesus, some ask ” Why have You forsaken me?”, while others ask for death like Elijah, all because of what they consider to be unbearable. Rather than judge people in their darkest hours, we are called to strengthen them, through prayers and genuine display of love and care.
Job had his moments of questioning God while the storm raged in his life despite him being upright and blameless. It is quite interesting to know that God Himself approved of Job, yet this man had to suffer, so much his friends concluded he was being purnished for living a sinful and unrighteous life. They were quick to judge him rather than be compassionate towards him. You can at least pray for someone who is hurting or at the verge of losing their faith because we really need one another at times like this when people are hurting so bad.
In it all, Job’s story has a way of reminding us that good people go through bad times also and this does not mean God is unfair to them. The next time you look at people’s situation and want to conclude that God is unfair to them, remember, you cannot love anyone more than the One who created him or her does. If He created Job and chose to test Job’s commitment to Him by taking away everything from him expect his life/ wife, who are we to question Him, considering the fact that we were not there when he gave him life and all the things he eventually took from him.
What’s up with the second half is that despite all that has been lost, destroyed, broken, dead, denied, delayed, impossible, unachievable in the first half, awesome things are still going to happen in this season. There is however, a need for you to watch- look out for new opportunities, be firm in the faith- be unmoved by the lies and deception of the enemy of man, be brave– get ready to do great things and take up new territories, be strong – draw the strength needed to do great things from His Word. Regardless of all that was in the first half, divine restoration and compensation will launch God’s beloved into a season of divine speed that will produce great wins. You will win!!!
Proverbs 19:21, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Matthew 7:1-3, Job 1:1-3, Job 4:3-4, Job 4:7-8, Philipians 3:7-10, 1 John 4:9-10, 2 Timothy 2:3-4, Matthew 5:14-16, Mark 2:17, John 10:10
Author Profile
- Temitope is the founder of thesoulmeal.com, an online platform that she shares with her God-given spiritual family and friends. She is a speaker, teacher and youth counselor. She is passionate about inspiring people to find their identity in Christ. Catch her interviewing inspiring leaders on Tongue of the Learned Podcast
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Thank you for sharing, it was very impactful. We pray for grace to be steadfast as we journey through this season.
More grace ma.
May we indeed remain steadfast through it all by His grace