*This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Check out Part 2 by clicking here.
Now that we’ve had time to get past the initial shock of the global pandemic and its effects on our lives, let’s talk. As Jesus-followers, we have to be able to think well about these kinds of things, because our thinking leads to action, and our actions impact the culture. So, how we as Christians think about the coronavirus will affect our ability to impact the culture.
Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to talk about how Christians should think about the coronavirus, ending with a live Q&A on Thursday, May 7th, at 12pm.
Thankfully, my wife, Tamara, has offered to help! It’s not that we think we have all the answers; we just know the Bible enough to know that it has all the answers. No, it doesn’t speak directly to the coronavirus or the economic crisis we’re facing. But it does speak directly to the human heart in any and all circumstances.
So in today’s post, I want to give you three biblical things to consider as you wrestle with how Christians should think about the coronavirus. They all build on each other, and the first is…
1. Emotions Are Okay
The Bible doesn’t tell us emotions are bad. God created us with emotions (Eph. 4:26; Rom. 12:15). Emotions are good! And expressing them can help us understand ourselves and God as we walk in them.
So are you feeling emotional about everything going on? It’s okay!
But, that doesn’t mean we should let our emotions control us. Then we’re just getting tossed about by the wind (James 1:6). Emotions help us in the process of becoming more like Jesus if we learn to control them. Self-control is a fruit of having God’s Spirit in us (Gal. 5:23).
So it’s okay to feel frustrated; Jesus felt frustrated (Matt. 8:26; 16:23; 21:12-13). It’s okay to get sad; Jesus got sad (Luke 19:41; John 11:35). But if we fail to control those emotions and let them continue to control us, that’s when we’ve put our finger on a problem in our heart.
My Heart Problem
I know for me, for the first week or two after the government began recommending stay-at-home orders, I was frustrated that they were telling me what I could and couldn’t do (I’m a Millennial American, what can I say?).
And I still think there are valid reasons for my frustration. Problem is, I was letting my feelings dominate my heart to the point that I was taking it out on my family, I was judging others who disagree with me, I was having trouble sleeping, and even having trouble praying.
Thank God he reminded me:
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)
If we remain frustrated, or sad, or overwhelmed by emotion over COVID-19, the economic crisis, our government’s actions, or other people’s opinions, perhaps we’re finding our security, satisfaction, and joy in something other than God.
But when we’re full of joy as we “live in Christ,” and we’re praying about everything instead of worrying about it, then we’ll experience God’s peace, which guards our hearts and minds from things like worry, anxiety, being tempted to judge others for their views, or letting our emotions control us.
2. Don’t Overreact or Underreact
When we control our emotions, we’re taking what the Bible calls a “sober-minded” approach. That means we don’t swing so far one way that we overreact, or so far the other way that we underreact. We can’t panic on the one hand, or ignore what’s happening on the other. We must find a middle way.
1 Peter is our go-to book on this (1 Pet. 1:13; 4:7; 5:8). He encourages us to be watchful and not let anything control our thoughts except God’s Spirit. That means we should pay attention to what’s going on around us (be watchful), weigh the truthfulness of what we’re hearing (be wise and discerning), pay attention to what’s going on in our own heart (be self-controlled), and entrust our lives to Jesus so his Spirit will change the way we’re thinking.
This is how Christians should think about the coronavirus.
Where’s Your Heart?
Have you found yourself at either extreme? Are you overreacting as if God’s not sovereign and the world is ending? Or have you underreacted and made light of the global pandemic that has endangered people’s lives and tragically killed some? Then you may need to ask God to help you be more sober-minded.
One of the easiest ways to grow in this is by looking through the lens of God’s redemptive Story, the gospel. It reminds us of God’s sovereignty over everything, as well as his care for the details of our lives. Remembering his sovereignty keeps us from panicking, because we know he’s in control. And trusting that he works out all the details for the good of those who love him keeps us from just ignoring things as if they don’t matter.
It gives us an Ephesians 5:15-21 mindset… to be wise and make the best use of our time. It’ll help us stop jumping to conclusions without all the facts, or taking things we hear so personally. We must allow God to control us, instead of being under the influence of anything else, including our emotions, the news cycle, or politics.
3. Love Your Neighbor
Jesus teaches us:
‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT)
As Derwin Gray, pastor of Transformation Church, says, we have to remember that we’re made to love God completely, love ourselves correctly, and love others compassionately. The entire Old Testament law is based on these principles!
You might ask… Why “love yourself correctly?” Well, we always forget the verse says to “love your neighbor as yourself.” If you don’t get how much God loves and values you, and you don’t apply that to yourself correctly, then you won’t be able to apply that same love and value to others, either.
For The Culture
If the secular culture needs anything from us right now, it’s love and compassion! They don’t need our judgement (they never have). That’s not our job. They need to see how we love others with the same compassion that Jesus had on us… “while we were still sinners.” (Rom. 5:8)
God’s mission is to save anyone who believes (2 Cor. 6:2) because he doesn’t want anyone to be separated from him forever (2 Peter 3:9). So let’s join him in that mission, and let’s lead the culture to rest in the same Savior who has given us rest.
How we think about, and therefore live out, our faith during this coronavirus season will have a direct impact on our ability to participate in God’s mission.
Next Week
Hopefully this has helped you think in the right direction, or at least jumpstart your thinking as a Jesus-follower if you’ve just been surviving. That’s definitely not what God has for us. He wants us to thrive and live for his glory!
In Part 2 next week, Tamara is going to discuss how Christians should be thinking about the coronavirus while using (and not using) social media during this season to continue pursuing that sober-minded lifestyle.
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog and engage with us. Please share it with your friends! We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments below. You can also plan to join us for the Q&A on Thursday, May 7th, at 12pm, and check out our DNA page to learn more about Redemption Church.
Thanks again for reading!
Author: Pastor Carter Mundy
Carter is the Lead Pastor of Redemption Church. Check out more about him and his family by clicking here.
