So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

So far we have experienced a very weird year. Novel is the correct term, not only for the virus but in the ways we’ve had to define our new normal. Over the past few months, I have read through the book of Psalms. At first I just wanted comfort. There was so much unknown around us. Then, as the civil unrest began, I found so many passages that spoke to me in a such a timely manner. It was like words from scripture were torn from the page and were literally happening before my eyes. By the time I finished the entire book, I came away with a desire to worship my heavenly Father in a new way for a great many reasons.

1. He has protected me. As I said, many months ago we didn’t know much about the virus. In many ways, we still don’t. I’ve prayed about this until I couldn’t come up with the words to express how I was feeling or what I wanted God to do, which is saying a lot for an author who works in words all day. But the freedom that comes from God knowing my heart and listening to me gave me the boldness to speak.
2. Comfort. Bottom line, I could bring my concerns to God and know He hears me. That went a long way in keeping me off the ledge. As many of us probably do, I have good days and days when I just shake my head, wondering what on earth is going on. But I speak with the Lord and come away saying, “Okay, I can get through this. We can all get through this”
3. Purpose. This is not a time to give up. We must continue to get on our knees. If we can look beyond our personal circumstances, there are a great many people suffering who need a divine touch from the Lord. With things the way they are, I may not get out into the community much, but I can certainly pray for my family, friends, church, neighbors, city, state, government and the people of this great nation. It’s all about taking my eyes off of me and focusing on the Father.

I’m sure if you came up with a list, you’d have a different view point than mine. But as God’s people, we are one. And as we lift our voices to Him, we grow stronger every day. One day we’ll be able to look at events from the other side and say, “My God is faithful!”

Here is the psalm that has really became a foundation for me.

Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

My prayer today is that everyone who reads this post will fall in love with Jesus all over again and keep walking the walk of faith. God bless!

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her Harlequin Heartwarming romance, ALWAYS THE ONE, available now.  For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter and receive a link to download a free digital book.