Life has been downright weird lately. I’ve decamped to my parents’ house to live for a while so that I’m not stuck in my house entirely alone.
I realize I’m fortunate that I can do that—I’d just been with my parents (and my mom especially) days before the “stay at home” guidance was implemented, so wasn’t at risk of exposing them to anything they hadn’t already been exposed to.
So, I’ve been living up in the Smokies for almost exactly a month now. As the world swirls around us and seemingly everything changes, this has been a respite of love and protection.
But I’m not immune to what’s happening around us. It’s real. It’s life-altering. And it’s heart-stirring. It’s dropped me to my knees in prayer over and over again.
People all around and so close to my heart have lost their jobs.
Those who do still have jobs are having to adapt and change how they work or what they offer to continue working.
Small businesses are facing turmoil like never before, being forced to pivot continuously to stay afloat.
People blocks away from my house in Chattanooga lost their homes and their belongings to a tornado two days ago.
Essential workers are on the frontline and being exposed to illness by those who don’t follow social distancing guidelines or practice appropriate illness prevention habits.
We’re all having to change our ways of life, sticking close to home and facing almost constant changes.
It’s not easy. But I am assured that God is with us:
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”—Psalm 27:13–14
“Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’”—Exodus 14:13–14
“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly, he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”—Psalm 62:5–8
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”—Isaiah 26:3–4
“In my alarm, I said, ‘I am cut off from your sight!’ Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.”—Psalm 31:22
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”—Psalm 40:1–2
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”—Psalm 37:23–24
“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself: ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’”—Lamentations 3:21–24
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my savior; my God will hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”—Micah 7:7–8
“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”—Matthew 11:28
My hope is that my words can give you a little hope. I’m working to find moments of joy and happiness even in the midst of chaos.
What verses are giving you peace during this crazy and troubling time?
Grace Always Wins 