Our world always feels somewhat unsettled when you consider the many things going on in it.  From wars, to famine, to politics, to religious strife, to troubled relationships, and most recently the spread of the COVID-19 disease, better known as the Coronavirus.  While the spread of this disease around the world must be taken seriously and we must be careful to prevent its spread, we must not enter into mass hysteria and be overtaken by panic and fear.

It is terrible when we hear of sick people, quarantined cruise ships, empty sports stadiums, cancelled events, and the many deaths that have resulted due to this disease.  However, worry and panic will only add to our unsettled feelings about what lies ahead. In Matthew 6 Jesus teaches about worry. He says, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”  The whole part of his teaching focused around our worries about life in general.

In verse 27 Jesus asks, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”  The answer of course is “NO!” Worry will only take away hours not add to them. I love the verse in 2 Timothy 1:7 because it speaks about what God has given to us to deal with this unsettled world and feelings of fear.  It says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

In the midst of 24-hour news coverage and widespread panic about the coronavirus, I would encourage us all to make this a matter of prayer.  Pray that the Lord would give us the love we need to help people in need, the power we need to overcome fear, and sound minds to make wise and careful decisions in the days ahead.  Pray for a cure and pray for those who are affected by this disease. Oh, and also pray about fear and worry in your own life about this unsettled world.

Make it Personal:  It’s good to be informed and vigilant when things like this are happening in our world.  However, it can also be overwhelming if we are watching and listening to the events all day long and into our evenings.  Stay informed but don’t be consumed! Stay safe and as Jesus reminds us, don’t let worry and fear overwhelm you.