Resting in God's Grace
It has been 2 years since our movement is restricted due to covid-19. I thought 2021 the world was getting better, but I'm mistaken, the worst was just yet to come. Last June was obviously the second wave of the covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia and the hospitals seemed to collapse. I hear ambulance siren passing by more frequently and people died multiply everyday and I've never been this exhausted & insecure before since this virus hit all countries. Even when my mother wanted to get vaccinated, I was so worried to let her out of the house to gather with bunch of strangers to get vaccinated.
Somehow in my insecurity, something crossed my mind "where do I put my hope all this time?" for His Grace is sufficient for me and He is enough.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Since I submit my self to Jesus, I realize that He never promises me comfort, wealth, prosperity even though I admit that those are form of God's blessings too, otherwise, He instead told us about the price to follow him ;
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)
what He certainly assure us is His constant present; Himself;
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
"I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20)
In these hard times, most of us must have been exhausted dealing with financial problems during this pandemics, the grief of losing our families & friends and the bad news doesn't seem to stop, further we have no clue when this pandemic shall pass. God absolutely has the authority to stop this pandemic, but I think it's not the point, instead wish the situation to change, we need to change the way we see towards the suffering. In the midst of chaos that doesn't seem to have no end, I hope we still find hope & peace in Christ alone.
For me personally, as I reflect, this pandemic indirectly has revealed every "idols" inside my heart; the fears of loosing the loved ones, jobs, future, that have stolen the joy in my life lately remind me that I still have "idols" that replace Christ. When everything is running well, we easily say Jesus is enough, however when God takes our comfort one by one away we realize His word is not enough.
Last week I got reminded from IG which is saying
"good vibes do not raise a dead heart to life, only God, who can raise a dead heart to life"
I know most of us lose heart & hope during these hard times, I felt that way too, but friends, what we can do is focusing on Christ, focus on eternity will make us less worried . Only the Power of God who can give us the true peace.
We may be weary and want to give up, but take heart, friends, He who has started the good works in us, will finish it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)
He is not bound by time & space; for he has seen the end of the history, and he won the battle already. We, who are in him, will inheret what he has accomplished. God was in the past, he is in the present for he sees our struggle, yet he is also in the future knowing we can get through this with him.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ....... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (Romans 8:35,37)
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
For believers, death is not the end, it's the beginning of life. We are suffered yet we have consolation that we are in the right hand.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
We are in this together, friends :) keep trusting Him and let our soul find rest in Christ alone, the cornerstone.
