Faithful on Fridays Blog

How do we respond?

Believers in Jesus Christ operate in a different culture than the world: we operate in faith. What does that mean? It means that when trials and tribulations arise in our life we don’t freak out, we don’t have panic-attacks, and we don’t care just about ourselves and our families; as believers our role is to care about everyone. That includes the greed of buying up supplies others could use, trusting in your ability to provide for your family, and speaking doubt, fear, and unbelief like the world: you are different.

The culture of the Kingdom of God is walking by faith, not by sight. Too simple? Stay with me.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

That’s the Bible’s definition of faith. When we think with faith, talk with faith, and live by faith we are saying to the world, “I am confidently expecting (that’s hope) that God will take care of us through this trial. I don’t see it right now but I believe and trust Him to be my Helper.” 

God likes it when we think, talk, and act like that. Not only does it reassure you but it will reassure your family and friends. That’s how a believer responds to times of tribulation. 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

II Timothy 1:7 NKJV

I chose that translation because I think it gets to the heart of the matter better than others. A ‘sound mind’ means that Paul is encouraging us to be wise, balanced, and have sensible behavior that fits a situation. A ‘sound mind’ is a saved mind, a rescued mind, or a settled way of thinking. When we are self-controlled and reasonable we are walking in faith trusting that God, not the world, is our Provider. 

Remember the plagues of Exodus 7-12 and how the Jewish people were exempt from the last seven? That means that they had to have enduring faith to get through the first three. The outcome of the plagues was deliverance from an old life of bondage and a new life in the Promised Land. That’s the lower story. God’s purpose was that His Name would be proclaimed and His power shown in all the earth (Ex. 9:16): true today. 

Read the account of the first Passover (Ex. 12), the lower story, and think in the upper story; the blood was a sign of salvation and rescue. The Lord’s Supper recounts that experience and we remember that the blood of Jesus still rescues us today.

This may be a trial run of what’s ahead so let’s allow His Spirit to strengthen, encourage, and guide us in the Body of Christ. May the Church’s response to this virus be one of faith, trust, and reasonable behavior; THIS IS A TEST. Let’s pass it.