Peace in The Midst of Chaos

The World is experiencing epic fear and uncertainty across the globe, which has turned our lives upside down. Our way of life has now been shifted due to the Pandemic called Coronavirus. The daily news consistently grows worse every day, and the reports of a rising death toll is recorded and broadcasted continuously. Without question we are living in a challenging time. In fact, it’s natural to wonder, who can be next? That question, among others, begins to open the door for the enemy to torment us. To cause anxiety throughout the day, or to make us feel afraid to go to sleep at night. But the Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Unfortunately, although the Bible is the truth and I know it is the true Word of God, as I download in my spirit the events from the daily news, fear still begins its journey in my mind.

Personally, I had to stop feeding my spirit information from the media, and open The Word of God to hear from the Holy Ghost. As I began shifting my attention from news outlets to the Bible, it enabled me to experience His peace, joy, and hope, even in the midst of the chaos that surrounds me.

No matter what’s going on in the world, your home, or your life, you can choose to focus your heart and mind on God. When you choose Him above all else, you can experience His perfect peace in every situation. If you think about how much time we waste feeling afraid and defeated, which allows discouragement to take over, we open the door for other toxic thoughts and emotions to distract us from the blessings that are right in front of us. God is right there with us, and has been all along. Patiently waiting for us to choose Him as the resource for peace and miracles. Jesus is always the best option and His is delighted when you seek His face. So, you can rest, during the day or at night, knowing peace can be found by simply keeping your mind stayed on God.

As you search through the pages of Scripture you will often find God encouraging his people to fear not or don’t be afraid. It has been estimated that there are 365 ‘fear nots’ or ‘don’t be afraid because…’ in the Bible, one for each day of the year. Some of the ‘fearless’ scriptures that are mentioned in the Bible are, “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall, I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So, don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).

It’s important to acknowledge that while fear is a natural human emotion, because God understands who we are, He encourages us to not to be afraid. He has everything in control. Our job is to trust in Him and know that He will see us safely through. Be encouraged and know that you are blessed of God. Here’s one last scripture for you, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10).

Humbly Submitted,

Suff Bishop Walter R. Oliver, Jr.