It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of COVID-19. There are boundaries on where we go, who we see and how we interact with people. Businesses are closing their doors, the economy is suffering and people are losing their livelihood.  Many watch events unfold, brace themselves for what might be coming,  and hope these things will pass. We even question God’s involvement in all of this.

I want to offer you some thoughts during this pandemic, because we are NOT powerless.

Job and His Friends, IIya Repin

We do not suffer alone. God was with Israel during their slavery, the prophets when they were beaten and Paul when he was imprisoned. Most importantly, God identified with our suffering in the person of Jesus Christ.  When suffering doesn’t make sense, look to the cross where God suffered with us.

Grow closer to God through confusion. The very fact we question and even express anger towards God, means we are moving towards God, and not away from Him. Consider the questions and anger to be authentic forms of prayer. To quote C.S. Lewis “We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us.”

Prayer is necessary, but not enough. Pray for scientists to develop a cure, communities to pull together and that assistance will arrive. Pray that each person affected would come to know the love and strength of God. Do this fervently, but often we are God’s answer to prayer.

We are God’s activity. God found us, not the other way around. Be like God and find the needs. Organizations identify needs for us, so be generous with your time and money. But people do fall through the cracks. Who can’t pick up food because of their work schedule? Who is isolated and needs things brought to them? Who is afraid, and needs to hear that God hasn’t forgotten them. We are the hands, feet, eyes and ears of God (Isaiah 52:7).

We can worship without explanations. Job lost most everything – his wealth and his children to tragedy. Job had no explanation, but he said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Those who worship God during these difficult times are especially blessed.

Worship with Huntingtown UMC this Sunday at 10:30am. Our doors will be locked and Celebration Hall will be empty during this pandemic. But we will worship God and we will do it together. Just go to our Facebook page and have a seat: https://www.facebook.com/huntingtownunitedmethodistchurch