Have you ever felt like worry has become a part of you? I have. Are you living by yourself? I’m single and live alone, and right now, in this season full of unknowns, it’s been harder than ever to shake off the worry. Having to physically distance myself from others has just multiplied my loneliness and invited doubt to join it. So how do we shake the worry, confusion, and doubt of our current reality all while wading through the loneliness of having to be physically distanced from the people we care about most? How can we find hope during the coronavirus pandemic? First, check out Philippians 4:6.
Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life … Philippians 4:6 TPT
It’s hard to remember God’s faithfulness in a season where it feels like prayers aren’t being answered, things in the world are getting worse, and hope is as hard to find as sunken treasure. But did you see the first six words of Philippians 4:6? I know I can’t be the only one who feels pulled in so many different directions right now. We can spend way too much time allowing our minds to worry about the problems of the world rather than talking to God about the concerns of our heart. And living by yourself just magnifies it all, doesn’t it? Without kids to focus on or someone to walk beside us, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with all of the feelings. But in this verse in Philippians, I’ve found that the remedy for worry is simple, the antidote to confusion is right in front of us, and doubt is easier to shake than we might think.
Here are three things I learned from Philippians 4:6 that can help us thrive during the coronavirus pandemic.
1. We can process. “Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing.” Living by yourself in this season can bring so much emotion. If you feel pulled in different directions, that’s okay! Just be honest with yourself and with God about your current reality and the things that make all of this hard. Once I got over the fact that the plans I had for the foreseeable future were just going to be up in the air, it became easier for me to embrace the changes in this season, and to begin living out God’s calling for it. We can’t glaze over what God might have for us in all of this! Even in the midst of physically distancing ourselves from the people around us, God is working. Nothing is wasted. He is always doing something, even when we can’t see it!
2. We can pray. “Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God. Tell him every detail of your life.” Have a simple conversation with God. Prayer shifts our focus from our worries and struggles to trusting who He is. Prayer recognizes that the God of miracles is not far away, He’s close. If we want peace, we can ask for it. If we feel alone, we can talk about it. Let’s begin telling God the intricate details of our lives. He meets us on our knees, and even when we become ragged and worn out, our Heavenly Father shows up and remains faithful. Always. And even though everything is changing and becoming different, it’s important to remember that God stays the same.
3. We can praise. “Offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude.” It can be hard to focus on the things around us that we’re grateful for when it feels like our world is falling apart. It’s easy to get lost in pointing out all of the things that we wish were different right now. But since most of us are being forced to slow down a little bit, what if we used this extra time to look around us and notice the blessings God’s given us? We have so many reasons to be thankful. Even in this season filled with the unknown, we can praise God for all of the ways that He is good!
Now is the perfect time to practice reflecting on some of the ways that God has been good in your life. Like how your aunt has texted you multiple times this week just to check in, or how your best friend Facetimed you earlier just to say hello. As you begin to praise God for who He is and for all He’s doing in your life in this season, I hope that you’ll take notice of the people who are standing beside you through it all. It’s in these moments when we’re scared and insecure that we need each other the most. And when we’re honest and vulnerable about how we’re really doing, we’ll find that our people will show up for us!
Living by yourself doesn’t mean you have to go through this coronavirus thing alone. You can thrive during it all! You have an army of people who want to walk with you and an incredibly loving Father who’s standing right beside you. He is for you, not against you! You can process, pray, and praise Him today. You’ve got this!
