By Pastor Danny M. Donaldson, Sr.
Rose Hill Church
Special to The BR Weekly Press
It was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, "In a real sense, all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly". The validity of these words not only echo through our country but around the world. For the very first time in our generation, the world is bleeding! We are amid a global pandemic that has sickened millions and has taken almost one hundred thousand lives. We are at war with an invisible enemy called Coronavirus. We can now honestly say we are all in this together, for this invisible enemy does not care about one's ethnicity, nationality, or socioeconomic status. It does not care how many degrees you have or how many followers you have on social media; it is an equal opportunity destroyer.This illness is so pervasive that it has many people asking where God is.
First, we must understand God never promised His children exclusion, but assistance. John 16:33 says, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take coruage; I have overcome the world". Psalm 46 goes on to say, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in the time of trouble. Think about this; the word "present" in the text is made up of the prefix "pre" and the root word "sent". It means that God is our pre-sent help. It means that this pandemic did not catch God off-guard He is present to help us.
Next, we must understand faith is often birthed during times of adversity and uncertainty. James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faithlife is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and welldeveloped, not deficient in any way". The text makes it very clear our faith grows in adverse situations.
Finally, it boils down to perspective. If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change. So, instead of complaining, maximize this time by working on yourself spiritually, emotionally, and physically. God has the whole world in His hands.