I would like to offer eight points of godly wisdom during this time of global panic. This of course is not inclusive, but hopefully gives a balanced approach to a current situation. At times like these, Christians are reminded how important their faith is, and how valuable being a believer is, in receiving God’s wisdom.

#1 We should not be driven by fear. II Timothy 1:7a says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear.” Christians are not fearless because they know what the future holds, but Who holds the future. No matter what happens, they win, because if they have received Christ as their Savior, they will not die eternally.

#2 God has given us His Spirit to be self-controlled in fearful times. The second part of II Timothy 1:7b says, “but of power, and love, and self control.” Because Christians trust God with their future, no matter what happens this side of heaven, they do not panic, but are in control.

#3 God gives us wisdom to deal with tough situations. Proverbs 2:7 says “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity.” While we do not fear, we need wisdom during very tough times. How much should we plan ahead? Where in public should we go? How should our family act and react? We can pray to God and He will give us His wisdom.

#4 Prudence – exercising caution – is part of godly wisdom. Proverbs 8:12 says, “I wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.” Just because Christians are not afraid of the future, doesn’t mean they are foolish and not cautious during times like this. Godly wisdom says don’t fear, but be cautious, such as now with your health.

#5 While there are conspiracies, we should not waste our time chasing them. A conspiracy is a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful. God doesn’t say there are no conspiracies at all. Judas helped lead a conspiracy to kill Jesus. Right now it seems like there are more conspiracies than people actually with the virus. Isaiah 8:12a: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people call conspiracy..” Then he tells us, instead of spending time chasing conspiracies, what we should do in verse 14b: “Let Him (God) be your fear.” We should worry more about being right with God than what people are doing or saying to hurt us.

#6 We should always prepare for tough times. Even if it is not a virus, it’s a furnace or engine that breaks down, or a sick child. Tough times will always come. Proverbs 6:6-11 talks about how we, like the ant, need to be planning ahead. It is foolish to think everything will always be normal. We should always have extra money, food, and supplies on hand; that way when trials come, we don’t need to panic.

#7 Even in crisis, we should think about others. The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourself.” This idea flows from the cross of Christ. How do we know? Because that is what is being talked about in Philippians 2 concerning Jesus. We have been sacrificed for, therefore we can sacrifice for others. Even while we plan and put aside a little extra, this doesn’t mean we should not care about our neighbors, friends, and other family members. We can give away goods, money, help watch children out of school, pick up supplies for the elderly or ill, and call to check on people during this time.

#8 The Christian’s hope is not in the present economy, health, enjoyment, or comfort, but the eternal enjoyment of Christ in heaven for eternity. I Peter 1:3-9 speaks about this. Jesus is our eternal hope. Even if everything falls apart, Christians still have Christ; and He can never be taken away. 

I hope this article provided you some comfort during a very tough time. I think that meditating on these truths for the Christian will keep us focused, and help us not panic, but plan, serve others, and look to Jesus, our eternal hope.

Pastor Tim

Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10:45 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes  or Googleplay.