My husband brought one of our dogs to the vet on Monday. They called it “curbside service.” One of the ladies came out to the car to retrieve our dog and bring him inside. But my husband had to stay outside. This is just one of many changes we have seen over the past few weeks. There is no doubt that we are all in new territory. We all have had to completely change our lives. And we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. But as Christians, we do know Who holds tomorrow. And that makes a world of difference. Here are a few things I learned to do during all of this:
1 – Limits. I have to limit how much time I listen to the news and how much time I talk about this with others. Too much time causes me to have more fear. But as children of God, our faith should be greater than our fear.
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. – Psalm 16:5
2 – Focus. It is vital to keep our focus on God. When we are facing a storm, He can calm the storm. When we are facing a mountain, He can move the mountain. Yes, this pandemic is serious business. But our God is bigger than anything and everything.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. – Psalm 16:8
3 – Praise. When I have felt anxious or worried, I praised God. This always helps turn my feelings around. It is a reminder of just how magnificent our God is. He is bigger than what we are facing.
I will praise the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. – Psalm 16:7
4 – Psalms. This falls in line with Praise. I have been reading through the book of Psalms. This is bringing me peace and comfort in the midst of storm.
Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. – Psalm 16:1
5 – Pray. Praying to God about what’s weighing on our hearts is important. He hears all of our prayers. And more than that, He wants to hear from us. Prayer helps bring peace in the battle.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” – Psalm 16:2
6 – Gratitude. I have been grateful for so many things in the midst of this. The things we are grateful for might vary with each of us. Thank God if you still have your job, if you have not had to do without food, if you have loved ones to spend time with, if you have neighbors who look out for you, etc. There are many things we can find to be grateful for in all of this.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body will also rest secure. – Psalm 16:9
7 – God is still God. One evening in the midst of all this, my husband and I were walking around our yard, as we talked about some of the latest developments. Meanwhile, my friend Lorraine also texted me about some things she heard. All of the news was weighing heavy on my heart. But then God showed up and opened my eyes. The sun was setting and I noticed how beautiful it was. It felt like the world was falling apart… but in the midst of chaos, the sunset was still a beautiful sight. I felt God reminding me that “God is still God.” No matter what we are facing, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Which means we can rely on Him in the good times and in the worst of times. My worry was replaced with peace, as I felt the Lord remind me that He was still there. (The picture below is of this particular sunset I am talking about.)
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. – Psalm 16:11
Ultimately, this should be a time when we cling to the Lord and grow closer to Him. He is there for us at all times. He will help us get through anything, when we run into His arms.
© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas
Photo by Bridget A. Thomas
Christians Read 
I love this. Thanks for sharing. God bless you and your fam.
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Thank you! I am so glad to hear that this post spoke to you! God bless you and your family as well!
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All excellent points Bridget. We need to cling to Him at this time.
Thank you for sharing this 😊💙.
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I am glad to hear that you enjoyed this post! I don’t know how people make it without the Lord. I am so glad we have Him in our lives!
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You brought out so many positives for me to cling to. You and your words of faith are so inspirational in these times of uncertainty and the unknown. We all have to follow new rules and use more common sense…and lean on our Heavenly Father more than ever for our comfort, safety and answers. Your added picture brought proof that God is there for us if we just look! Thank you, Bridget!!
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Yes! He is always there. Sometimes we forget that. The problems in front of us seem so big and they take our eyes off of the Lord. But God is there to help us through this. He is there to love us, care for us, guide us, and protect us. We just have to make the decision to turn towards Him!
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Thank you for sharing such encouragement. So very well spoken… Blessings. 🌻
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Thank you! I am happy to know this post was encouraging! These things have truly been helping me to stay encouraged as well. Blessings to you too!
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Spot on. Thank you for the great post we can all cling to!
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The goodness of God still amazes me, even during trying times. He is there for us. Always. He will never leave us or forsake us. God bless you and your family!
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Praise. Yes, we need to praise God more!
The other day, I was on a prayer walk with my friend. There’s so much to pray for that I almost felt paralyzed, not knowing where to start. We found ourselves mostly praising God for his goodness, his love, his kindness, his mercy, etc. We thanked him for the good and positive things he is working through all of this crisis.
Praise is powerful warfare! When you don’t know how to intercede, praise. 🙂
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Exactly!!!!! We are on the same wavelength!! That is what I have been doing a lot of as well. When I was still going into work, I would use my hour-long commute to praise God. It always helped settle my anxious feelings. Now that I am working remotely, I have to be a little more creative on working that in. Thanks so much for commenting!
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Bridget, what a beautiful message of hope! It was exactly what I needed. Thank you!
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You’re most welcome! I am so glad to know this helped you, especially during the difficult time you have been having the past few weeks! Praying for you both!
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Wonderful, Bridget. Thank you for sharing.
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You’re welcome! I am glad you enjoyed the post!
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Thank you so much for sharing a much needed message. As I endeavor to cling to God, I’m discovering I need to let go of podcasts and blogs and other media that focus more on fear than faith. It’a bit of unexpected self-care, struggling to be a lamp full of oil.
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Judy, I am so glad to hear that this post encouraged you. Yes, I know what you mean. I am trying to limit how much information I take in as well. It can cause fear. But God calls us to have faith.
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Amen. ❤
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