Thankfulness and Hope in the Midst of Crisis

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Amidst the craziness of this pandemic sweeping across our world this past month, I don’t think there has been something that has stood out to me as much as this. In the quietness of being quarantined while watching as the world lives in a state of panic and frenzy, I was taken aback by what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians. It’s hard to imagine rejoicing always and giving thanks in circumstances like these, and in fact, I’d imagine people would be quick to do the opposite. Yet this is a command given to us. These three imperatives should be what marks the walk of a Christian--especially right now.

This pandemic IS frightening, it’s isolating (which is extremely difficult for an extrovert like myself), and I’m very quick to become anxious if I allow my mind to focus more on the troubles of this world than on the hope that is set before me. Charles Spurgeon said this, “the more we pray, the more we rejoice. Prayer gives a channel to the pent-up sorrows of the soul; they flow away, and in their place streams of sacred delight pour into the heart.” The moment we turn our eyes to Christ is the same moment when the things of this world begin to grow dim and our songs of anguish turn into shouts of praise. We can rejoice WHEN we pray without ceasing, and therefore can give thanks in all circumstances. If I’ve learned anything lately, it’s that I’m understanding what thankfulness looks like in my day-to-day life.

We all know the saying “you never know what you have until it’s gone,” and I’m beginning to see the truth in that. Yes, this is not an ideal situation, but the Lord redeems all things and uses it for His glory and our good. Think about how much more we will value time spent worshiping with our spiritual family gathered in our churches. Imagine how our time spent with others will be cherished more deeply. Beyond that, look at the way it’s shown us our frailty, our helplessness, and our need for a Savior.

Life is hectic right now, there is no doubt about that, but we have a God who is not surprised by our current situation. If anything, this virus is a testament to our spiritual state without Christ. A virus that is contagious to every person, no matter the age, no matter the social status, and no matter the race. We need a cure. Sin is the same. It is in all of us from the moment we are born. It affects the greatest of us to the least of us, and none of us can save ourselves from this state of rebellion. Yet, we have hope.

This cure for our separation from God is found only in Jesus Christ, God’s Son. He came to the earth as a frail and helpless child to live the life of a man. He lived it perfectly and without sin, something we could never do, and then died on a cross for our sake. He paid the price for our rebellion, facing the wrath of God in our place. If we trust in Jesus, if we repent and follow Him, we will be saved. Jesus is the only answer, the only way to salvation. If you don’t know Him today, I beg you, look to Jesus. You aren’t promised tomorrow--we can see that now more than ever.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9

Today is the day, now is the time for salvation.