“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 4:6-7
This was not the plan for this week… that might describe how everyone’s week has gone. It describes mine, and it describes why we are in Philippians this time around. One of the only normal things I did this last week was to study this passage for a class, and I am so thankful I did.
Panic and anxiety are the only things thicker than the snow outside right now (at least it's snowing here in Marion, IN). They are the only things thicker than our pollution, our egos, and for sure thicker than the virus. On Thursday, the 12th, I sat in our Student Center for dinner, and one could almost see the anxiety in the air. All tables talking to a greater volume than usual, all probably saying how crazy this is and making frantic plans to go home or stay on campus. Or in Meijer yesterday, where the bread and toilet paper was depleted to nothing! All open checkouts had a half-dozen plus overflowing carts. The anxiety is evident on social media as well, to which I don’t believe I need to provide any examples because you have seen it.
Are we overreacting? Do we need to do more? While I believe there is no need to make hasty and fearful decisions, I trust that my University and many others have made decisions with wisdom. We must remember, no one had a plan for this, and suddenly everyone is expecting them to make decisions with no sound information about the virus and with limited resources for testing (I have seen contradictory “facts” about the Coronavirus). We must pray for our authorities and all other leadership having to make changes in these times. May the peace of God in Christ be evident to them.
With so much panic, it is easy to become a reactive person, but such reactivity does not lead to loving the neighbor nor any action that resembles the Gospel of Christ. Reactivity does not produce good news for the poor, comfort for the brokenhearted, liberation for the captive, and joy for the mourning (Isaiah 61:1-3). Reactivity is from the depths of our decrepit humanity; the Gospel is the Lordship, the reigning, of Jesus Christ over sin, death, and all brokenness for the sake of restoring the whole world to Him.
Let us learn to ease our panic.
Prayer is an Antidote
John Chrysostom was the archbishop of Constantinople around 1,600 years ago, essentially he was a pastor in a really powerful position, spiritually and politically. Others in power were not a fan of how devoted he was to Christ would boot him from his position (this is highly simplified, and I recommend looking into his life and work). Anyways, when John preached on Philippians, he presented this idea of prayer is an antidote to anxiety.
In light of modern mental health, I do not want to communicate that prayer will remove and resolve clinical anxiety. But even in that one can pray, and I encourage that.
But in all of life's troubles, pressures, and issues that lead one into panic and anxiety, all one wants is peace. That peace is found only in Christ, the one who reigns over all and will one day establish in its totality His Kingdom. We tap into that Kingdom when we pray, petition, give thanks, and make requests.
The issue might never be truly resolved either, but suddenly there is a peace about it, and I cannot even begin to express how that works because God’s ways are so higher than ours that I literally cannot comprehend it. But I believe in part it is because God hears our cries and pains, and He has compassion. How all that translates into anxiety and peace I cannot say, but I am in awe that my God works in that way.
Prayer is an antidote to anxiety.
Prayer fills us with peace in Christ.
Here is but a brief list of people we should pray for in these times:
Authorities and Leadership
Elderly people
Teachers and Professors
College Seniors whose entire graduating semester is thrown AWOL.
All medical professionals
Pastors and other Church Leaders
Other Religious leaders
The Military and National Guard
Children who are stuck at home with no food
In this time may we be makers of peace, not only praying but taking actions to express peace and love:
Child care and provisions
Getting groceries for your parents or grandparents
Adhering to the orders of authorities
Wash your hands and clean your spaces
Throw on a smile and encourage others around you
Listen to others anxieties
Be patient with medical professionals
Cut no one from your contact, reach out, we have technology to help in that
I’m sure you can think of more…
In times of panic and anxiety, the natural instinct is to only care for oneself, an individualized quarantine of care. But it is times like this that Christians can live out the Gospel more than in normal life. We can be the ones spreading peace instead of anxiety; we can be the ones getting groceries for those who can’t, we can be the good news for the poor, the comfort for the brokenhearted, the stability in unstable times, the hope to the hopeless, and so much more. In doing so, we are representatives of Christ.
Yes, take every precaution necessary. Yes, closing our church doors may be necessary to care for the congregation.
No, we never close our hearts to anyone who needs God’s compassion. No, we never close the church from being the Kingdom present on earth.
Final Blessing:
Let us pray, let us act, let us take every moment we can to be peacemakers. In an atmosphere of panic, let's be making a difference from the peace we have in Christ.
May the Lord of life and redemption be with you in every step, every breath, and every heartbeat. Be messengers of the Good News and Peace friends!
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