As we struggle to adapt to a new way of life and learnt to cope with the unsettling uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are so many questions that remain unanswered.
How long will we be living in this “half-existence”? When will we be able to move around and lead our lives in complete freedom? How can we continue with this challenge of working, studying, and worshipping from home?
As we look around at how life has changed so drastically, we can easily get overwhelmed and fearful. Many of us are battling anxiety as we desperately try to manage everything. And the news of widespread retrenchments are only adding to our worries and fears.
What’s going on? Where is God in all this? Is He in control?
If you’re asking such questions, take heart, for Psalm 139:16 offers us this reassuring truth:
“All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
From even before we were born, every moment of our lives has been under God’s watchful care as part of His good plan and purpose for us. Even this worrying and uncertain season of COVID-19 has already been written in His book.
We don’t know how long this will last, what things will look like in the months to come, or what stresses and strains will be put on our families. But God has these days written down—along with His plans, His provision, and His faithfulness to walk with us through them. We do not have to carry our fears in our own strength.
As Psalm 139 continues:
“How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the
grains of sand.” (vv. 17–18).
God is our very present help. Let’s place our burdens and fears into His hands today.
Almighty God, my Rock and my Fortress!
I thank You that my life is in Your loving, powerful hands.
Sometimes I forget that and become anxious.
Sometimes I think that I must get everything right for things to go well.
Many times I am tempted to pull my life out of Your hands
and work things out myself; but it only leads to more anxiety.
O Lord, build in me a solid and unshakable trust
in Your goodness, Your power and Your love.
Help me to stop trying to sort everything out, for I can’t.
I come to You afresh and give my life into Your hands.
I give You my health, family, loved ones, job, finances,
my past, my future and all of the rest of what makes up my life;
I place it all in Your hands.
Fill my heart with an absolute assurance of Your strength,
Your care and Your willingness to look after every aspect of my life.
Adapted from He Hears Us, published by Our Daily Bread Ministries 2020.
