Now, here we stand, in the middle of 2021. The sky is still stormy, the waters may be turbulent, but the ground beneath our feet feels more solid as we contemplate the future. But before we leave 2020 behind us, this Epistle gives it a quick glance over our collective shoulders.
It was a year full of interruptions; truly, it was life interrupted. No one has gone unaffected by this past year and a half. Not only have we had to walk through a global pandemic, but we also had a tumultuous presidential election and outcome, and the racial issues in America continue to rise. Upheaval in the streets led to upheaval in our hearts as we witnessed endless heartache, loss, and fear. Unemployment sky-rocketed, businesses closed, families lost their homes, and fear ran rampant. It was overwhelming. And all of this amidst the normal tragedies of life—loss of a loved one, an unexpected diagnosis, failed relationships.
So as believers, people of faith, how do we get through it? How do we stand under the weight of it all? We start by acknowledging that it is not our weight to bear. Scripture is very clear that God is our shelter, our hiding place, and He longs to carry our burdens. So, we must learn to run to Him and let go of the things we cannot control. We must trust His sovereignty in the midst of all the uncertainties and changes.
Living in an increasingly secular-minded, post-Christian America makes clinging to faith even more difficult. All too often we turn to worldly sources as we struggle to find our path and are tempted to satisfy our emotional and spiritual needs by temporary and fleeting means. Or even worse, we give in to the lies of the enemy that are designed to break our spirits. But with the truth of Jesus firmly planted in our hearts, we can look forward to the future with courage. Wearing the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), we can stand strong when faced with spiritual and mental attacks. Spiritual perspective developed in the quiet moments of prayer and reading God’s Word will strengthen us, and connecting with other people of faith (in person or online) will encourage us every time life is interrupted.
Faith in crisis is how we grow. The first chapter of James tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials. In fact, he says “trials of many kinds”—that certainly describes what we have been walking through! James goes on to explain that these trials mature our faith (James 1:2-8). In order to grow in our faith, we must grow through our trials, and trust that God is working all things for our good because we love Him and are “called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
“Everyone must face fear, but for the believer, its fangs are drawn in because we are protected by an overarching umbrella of hope.”
– Dr. David Jeremiah
from Hope: Living Fearlessly in a Scary World (2021, Tyndale Momentum, p. 10)
from the Editors,
Michaela Carson & RJ Flower-Opdycke
