10 Blessings During This Global Pandemic

If we are open to it, I believe God wants to use this pandemic to do some INCREDIBLE things in us all! Perhaps He will use it to answer some major prayers that many of us have been praying for years.
10 blessings I see:

1. Our eyes are being opened to just how dependent we are on the Lord. He is the source of our health, our jobs, our supply, and every good thing. We aren’t in control and we need God desperately. This is a humbling, but healthy, realization.

It may help to peel back many layers of our pride and the idea that we are self-sufficient and self-made.

2. We are seeing that the church is not a building, it is the people of God. And we are having to break many of our habits that have been distracting us from things that matter most—loving God and loving people with His love.

3. Christians are becoming stronger in our faith and much more emboldened to share Jesus, the gospel, and His love. We are being refined and purified and made to be more like Jesus. What a priceless gift!

4. Many unbelievers are more open to the gospel and willing to consider eternal things. Sometimes it takes something pretty scary to wake us up before we turn to God. Maybe God will use this wake-up call to bring millions home to the kingdom of Christ.

We all have to come face-to-face with our mortality and a threat like this makes us realize that the time to get right with God and with others is today.

5. Many of us are getting a lot more family time. Perhaps God will use this time to strengthen marriages and families that have become so fragile, especially if we invite Him to do so.

We can pray this for ourselves and for those around us. We can also reach out to minister to the needs of the lonely and needy around us, as well.

6. Many people are reading the Bible more, praying more, and worshipping God more than ever. There is a much greater sense of urgency and need. Of course, God is worth of all of our devotion at all times, but a crisis can help clarify the eternal perspective sometimes.

7. Christians are uniting across the world in fervent prayer without divisions. This plague may well be a giant catalyst for a massive wave of repentance and salvation, a new Great Awakening!

9. Perhaps God will use this to bring spiritual and emotional healing and unity in Christ across His people, Maybe even in our nation, and in other countries around the world.

10. We are going to come out of this with a much deeper sense of appreciation for so many things we have been taking for granted. Perhaps a beautiful spirit of thanksgiving and contentment with our basic needs being met will replace the spirit of entitlement that has been so prevalent.

This pandemic will change us all. My prayer is that we will be open to all God desires to do and all He has for us to learn and the ways He wants to use this to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

From a dear friend at my church, with her permission:

This morning I was ahead of schedule with work and had a few minutes to spare, so I went by my church. The streets were quiet and the sidewalks empty. The doors were locked and the lights were off. It made my heart hurt. I know it’s just a building, but it’s like our home. Our house of worship.

My family comes here throughout the week to worship, to learn, to fellowship with our church family, but now we can’t. I understand it’s for our well-being, but man, I just miss it. I miss the faces, I miss the music, I miss the worship. I even miss chasing my children through those halls, telling them to not scream and run while I’m screaming and running after them.

As I was sitting in my car, I heard a voice in my heart telling me to get out. Just for a minute. So I got out, walked to the steps of the front of our church, got on my knees and prayed. I prayed for healing, for faith, for direction on what to do in the midst of this crisis. And I prayed that when all of this illness does pass, and those church doors can open again, that the people come. Let every church be filled with shouts of worship and praise.

And until those doors open again, I’ll continue to pray. My family will worship from home. We won’t let our guard down and let Satan sneak in just because those doors are closed. And I pray that you all will do the same. 

SHARE

What blessings do you see in this global pandemic so far?

What good things do you believe God might bring from all of this?

RELATED

Becoming Fearless

Verses about Trials from www.openbible.info

Facing Uncertainty and Trials with Joy

How to Have a Saving Relationship with Christ

  1. Admit you are a sinner and you can’t be perfect and holy enough in God’s eyes to be right with Him on your own. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23
  2. Believe that Jesus died on your behalf to pay the price for your sin and to give you a way to be right with God – to be forgiven. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Rom. 6:23
  3. Confess that Jesus is your Lord – this means, Jesus is now your Master and you live your life for Him and His glory rather than for yourself. You say it out loud to others and you live it from now on. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.” Rom. 10:9-10

6 comments

  1. As always, you have touched my heart with such encouraging words. I come in agreement with all of your post and more. The post from you friend is exactly what I was feeling, too; missing church fellowship. When we come back together, I believe that we will be more united then ever before. Stay strong ladies, stay focused on Him. This time does not mean you get to be lazy, at this time you need to be disciplined and focused. Fight the good fight. Courage and strength, let’s do this! Thank you, April.

  2. Thank you April. This is exactly what I needed. For me personally, I’ve been dealing with anxiety ever since this whole thing started which I blame on the media. I’ve had to daily and several times during the day, ask the Lord to calm my spirit and He reminds me, He is still with me.

    I totally understand what the sister wrote about missing her church family. It’s hard but, I’m calling my friends letting them know I miss them and I’m praying for them.

    1. Regina S,

      Our flesh wants to react with panic. God is reaching out His hand saying, “Trust Me.” In our God’s loving hands, the painful, scary things give birth to beautiful, fruitful, eternal things.

      I’m glad you are supporting your friends. I think we are all taking a whole lot less for granted all over the world right now. We are all being baptized through a huge attitude adjustment and refining fire.

      Much love!

  3. I am thankful and am blessed by your post. At a time when the news is filled with negativity and doom, this post is fresh and encouraging. This will help me stay positive with my grandchildren today as I teach and care for them at home. I too believe we will persevere and become stronger in Christ our Lord. May God bless and protect us all and strengthen us. Nana Dorothy

    1. Dorothy Williams,

      There are bad things happening. But there are so many GOOD things coming out of it! I think of it like treating a patient who has gangrene spreading in his foot. An amputation seems bad. It seems awful! But an amputation will save the rest of the body and allow it to return back to full health.

      Sometimes, we go through very painful trials that end up being the greatest blessing ever. I believe we will look back on this time and realize it was a huge blessing all over the world and that we will see incredible eternal fruit and many people will come into the Kingdom and grow in their faith. Our spiritual vision and strength will be so much greater as we realize who we really are and how much we all need God.

      He is shaking the things that are visible that we tend to trust in and helping us see that He is the only unshakable force there is. All of our trust has to be in Him alone.

      Thank you for sharing. Be strong and very courageous! We are not alone. Our God has promised to be with us until the very end of the age!

      Much love!

Comments are closed.