Fellowship wins, even with pandemic's shelter-in-place

The current pandemic, leading to folks practicing social distancing and several areas prohibiting group gatherings, could easily isolate us from those we love. It could keep us out of encouraging fellowship and socialization.

Our most introverted friends are joking about how they have prepared their whole lives for such a time. But our extroverted ones are moaning and groaning. Most of us fall somewhere in-between.

But perhaps we all benefit from some form of mutual interaction, at least occasionally, even if our desired doses differ. That’s probably what the Bible means, when it says:

“And let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us encourage one another with words of hope. Let us do this even more as you see Christ’s return approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25, NIRV)

How can fellow believers get together, when respected authorities tell us to stay apart?

We have to get a little creative, like my small group did.

This group of ladies, representing maybe 10 very different churches, has gathered for many years. We go to the mat for each other in prayer. We cheer one another on, but we also exhort in love, when it’s needed. We are a safe place, so this happens pretty seamlessly. And we laugh. Oh, how we laugh.

I could describe every one of these dear friends this way:

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” (Proverbs 31:25-26, NLT)

Clearly, we can all grasp the seriousness of the current situation. We understand that there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4, NIV).

But we also remind one another that God is still God. Lately, we’ve been reminding each other of that even more than usual.

Because of this coronavirus situation, we have canceled our weekly get-togethers.

And we miss one another. So we decided to meet anyway, but in a much safer way (for the time being). Like many churches, organizations, and businesses, we took to the worldwide web.

We decided to go virtual with our Bible study, while the world rides out this pandemic.

We each downloaded a particular free app on our smart phones or tablets. At the appointed hour, the group leader opened the session. We basically video-chatted. After 30 minutes, the session timed out, and we were disconnected from the call.

At that point, several members went to our private Facebook page and began posting comments, relevant Scriptures, and worship song videos to share.

We’re still plugged in, even if we cannot gather face-to-face for a while.

It’s amazing what a difference a little time with friends can make. (I miss them again already.)

Image/s:

Adapted from public domain image

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Maybe worry isn't all bad

I’ve been a little worried lately. OK, maybe more than a little. I admit it. Does that diminish my faith? I used to think so, but I don’t anymore.

Maybe worry isn’t all bad, at least for a bit.

But wait. Doesn’t the Bible tell us not to worry? It absolutely does. Scan the Psalms, Proverbs, or the New Testament words of Christ, and you will find tons of examples that say, “do not worry” (or “fret not” in older versions). 

Maybe worrying isn't all bad.

 

But we do worry sometimes, don’t we?

I don’t think our worrying surprises God at all. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had a lot to say about worries (see Matthew 6:25-34).  The Lord was fully aware that people would worry about life, food, clothing, and other daily concerns. He knew we would be concerned about our families, our friends, and the future. And He offered assurance.

Here’s an example:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)

What worries rob you of your rest?

Maybe you face financial struggles, a troubling medical diagnosis, or a difficult relationship. Perhaps you are a parent, concerned about your kids. You may be disturbed by political, social, legal, or criminal crises.

I’m not talking here about ongoing clinically diagnosable anxiety disorders, panic attacks, or phobias, although I believe God can make a difference for us all. For the purposes of this post, I’m fighting in faith with the kind of periodic worries that tend to plague us during stressful seasons of life.

So I have to admit I have done a fair amount of fretting lately. But I don’t want to stay there indefinitely.

What happens when we camp out in fret-land?

Don’t we become restless? We lose sleep. We carry an extra emotional burden, until we give it over to God. It feels like we are carrying backpacks filled with heavy emotional rocks. That’s what the Apostle Peter was talking about, when he reassured believers about God’s care for us.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NLT)

Peter didn’t say, “Give all your worries and cares to God, if you ever happen to have any of those.” He assumed we would. But he pointed us to the answer.

Paul offered similar advice, including a hopeful note about how God can bring wholeness and peace to settle us down in our most worried seasons.

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” (Philippians 4:6-7. MSG)

God invites us to bring our concerns to Him, rather than brooding endlessly over them. And He doesn’t judge us when we come to Him with a big pile of worry rocks. It’s how we demonstrate our faith, declaring our trust in His care.

“Our Lord, we belong to you. We tell you what worries us, and you won’t let us fall.” (Psalm 55:22, CEV)

When we pitch our tents in the valley of worry, our thoughts tend to race ahead, uphill in every direction. We toss and turn in our beds. We grow distracted and anxious. We reload our backpacks with those stinking stones of stress. The King James Bible describes this so well, but includes a sweet description of how our loving God can bring us comfort in this distress.

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:19, KJV)

I love that. Lately, I have had a multitude of thoughts whirling in my head, especially in the wee hours of the night. But I am aiming to take those thoughts captive (see 2 Corinthians 10:5) and give them to God. Often, I find that I have to do that again and again and again. But I believe that process drives us to deeper faith.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

So maybe worry isn’t all bad. If worry makes us care more and serve more and pray more, then maybe it can be a catalyst for change. Maybe it can lead us closer to the One who stands outside time and knows the future and truly loves us. Perhaps worry can lead us to genuine peace.

That’s no platitude, because it’s a gritty process.

In the meantime, I’m wrestling with worry. I want to become a prayer warrior, even though I know warriors are made in battles, not bliss. And freedom often comes after a fight.

Image/s:

Adapted by this use

from public domain artwork

Feel free to follow on Twitter. Don’t miss the Heart of a Ready Writer page on Facebook. You are invited to visit my Amazon author page as well.