Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”
— Matthew 16:24–26

If there is anything that has been revealed to us in these times, it is our weaknesses, our shortcomings, and our fears. Isolation has shed light on our over-dependence on others. Joblessness has exposed ill-defined identities. Rejection of caution has unveiled the worship of individuality. The pacification of anxiety with edicts of human authority has revealed a mismeasurement of trust. Authoritarian egos grow large with control. Fear of a virus has unmasked an abandonment of faith in the eternal. Some of us take for ourselves what is Caesar’s, and some of us give to Caesar what clearly belongs to God.

Co-pastor David Griffin spoke of these weaknesses in Sunday’s sermon through the story of Gideon. Gideon’s biggest flaw, like the rest of us, was failing to trust in the Lord. As smart as we think we are, we’re stewing in our flaws as we read this. Which sentence above might apply to your brand of fear?

There are many things the Lord is trying to show us through this pandemic, but most of all, he is exposing to us our flaws so that we may be humbled before him. His grace is sufficient for all of our fears and faults. He who goes before us will be with us. He will not forsake us. Be bold. Above all else, worship the Lord and acknowledge your limitations so that he may be glorified.

Place all of your fears in the hands of Jesus Christ our Lord, God incarnate who humbled himself unto crucifixion so that you and I may be washed clean and receive the peace of Christ.

“Fear not death nor Satan’s thrusts,
God defends who in Him trusts;
Soul, remember, in they pains,
God o’er all forever reigns.”

— Charles Spurgeon, Morning by Morning