Faith Vs. Fear: Coronavirus edition
So, I haven’t written in awhile. Not since last year as it seems. I decided to take a step back to focus on my studies for a bit. I will mention that I have published my book Obstacles which will be found below if you are interested to read. It is just a collection of poems about the struggles of life and getting through their struggles. Okay, now that advertising is out of the way, it is time for me to write.
Coronavirus. That is the topic of discussion for today's subject. It started in Asia in 2019 and has found its pathways around the world and into the United States of America. With Congress working hard (And yes I say Congress because our President is NOT doing this, but instead took credit for most of the successes of other people and blaming others for his failures), they have yet to still find a viable cure to stop this pandemic. So, in the midst of this crisis, many countries resorted to lockdown from some countries being a real lockdown to some being going out to get essentials only lockdown. This crisis is serious and scary to some sort. When I say scary I don’t mean the lack of toilet paper found in stores, but I mean real seriousness despite the joke I just inserted there for those that did not quite get it. In light of this, I decided to write a post about this. This post is not going to include anything about what the media produces, or that invalid facts as some have resorted to scare human beings. No. This post is to reach out to the people that have suffered tremendously and to help establish that there is hope at the end of the tunnel.
The first thing people succumbed to when it first came out that the coronavirus is deadly is fear. Fear is described as a verb to “be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening”. So, looking at this, fear is triggered through being afraid and people become afraid almost instantly as they do any crisis that we have, whether that is fires or even tornadoes. Fear was produced and people took action in their own hands to buy many things, not realizing that those things they are buying are causing a lack of produce and manufacture for companies. It is certainly understandable for fear to be produced amongst people, but is it really necessary for people to have to go to crazy extents just to be “safe”? Yes, it is understandable to have that basis of fear, but I just have something to say. Everybody that knows me, knows I am a Christian, but also knows that I am not biased. I don’t agree nor disagree with many situations. I have an opinion, but I make sure to see the other point-of-view if possible. Now, with that being said, I just have to say, when Americans start to automatically buy a ton of stuff when a crisis occurs (this is not just about what is happening in this world), I believe that it is a foolish thing, we as Americans, do. It is foolish to go out on a limb, and let fear rise above what our beliefs and values have. We know that we don’t want to let our emotions override the logic in the situation, but yet, we do anyways because that is what makes us human and moral. That is what makes us a tad bit of who we are. And that also is what is causing many people to fear even more so with the death tolls rising in America with this pandemic.
Now, fear is something that is easy to get through. I have been afraid of many things in my life from people to situations that have occured. I have been fearful. It is how we get through the midst of things that count the most. If you are a Christian, then I am going to say this: this is a test. Have you ever read about Job, Paul, David, Joseph or even Jeremiah? It is okay if you haven’t. I am going to break down these characters one by one in each post I write. This post is going to be about Job.
Job suffered greatly. He had many trials in his life. He suffered emotional, physical, and mental pain, but through the midst of that, Job relied on God alone. He lost his wife and friends. He lost his home, children, and riches. He continued throughout to lose and to suffer yet he still had one thing left, which was his faith. Did he question it? Did he ever question God? Of course! In fact, he questions God, “Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts that I should suck?.....Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it comes not?" He questioned his very own existence because of his suffering that was made upon him. He even went so far as to protest against saying that “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away”. This is a powerful message because Job is miserable. Like downright miserable. God took so much away from him that all Job wanted to really do was give up. The thing is….he didn’t. In fact, Job kept pushing and trusting in the Lord. In Psalms 91, it said that the Lord will be “with, protect, answer, and deliver”. What does that mean? It means that even through the midst of this crisis we are in, even through the midst of what Job was in, the Lord is with us throughout all times of trouble in need. Job suffered greatly, but yet he continued on his path of faith. He lost many things through the crisis, but yet, he did not fear. He kept pushing and kept going on. Yes, he may have doubted, but it is okay to doubt sometimes because that is when the absolute truth shall come about. That is when faith becomes the most true and powerful thing in the world because it is not about the things of others, but of what you choose.
To find the hope at the end of the tunnel, it is not just about faith, but it is about not letting fear get to you and override the things you know are true. You can still do the things you want to do, but you have to do it according to the rules and land of the law. Wear a mask. Have ten people and under. Follow in line importantly. But the major thing is, don’t let that fear...that fear get in the way of what you are called to do. This is a test. The question is: Are you going to be like Job and continue to have faith over fear, or continue fear over faith? It is your choice to choose. You can still follow the rules without having to fear.
My book Obstacles:
If you need to talk, feel free to contact me, or comment below!
Contact Info: teendepresstalk@outlook.com
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