What happened to all the toilet paper?
March 13, 2020 – In a world so certain it doesn’t need God, a flu virus can come along and cause so much fear that all normal life is shutting down. I am not making light of the serious nature of so many people being infected and unable to recover. We must certainly act responsibly and respectfully toward one another, but where is faith in all of this? What happened to thinking of others first and sharing? Instead, our stores are emptied in a panic and now people are hoarding toilet paper of all things!
___________________________
It has been said by many that pressure can either crush a stone or create a diamond. It all depends on the substance of what exists on the inside. A global pandemic changed the world forever. Depending on your point of view, it fortunately or unfortunately exposed the substance of our faith like never before. How much did instinctive self-preservation override our love for our neighbor? Does toilet paper really tell the tale?
Being exposed is hard. Being exposed is also good. Every once in a while, it is good for us to be tested so we can see the areas in our life that need to be realigned with the heart of God who loves us.
Now, hear me say this clearly. I do not believe God caused the pandemic in order to test us. The pandemic, along with all the other hardships, sicknesses, and tragedies we face are the result of the presence of sin and the influence of evil in the world. God meets us there in these broken places and redeems our pains and struggles. God is good and he loves us very much!
Being exposed is hard. Being exposed is also good. Every once in a while, it is good for us to be tested so we can see the areas in our life that need to be realigned with the heart of God who loves us.
Now, hear me say this clearly. I do not believe God caused the pandemic in order to test us. The pandemic, along with all the other hardships, sicknesses, and tragedies we face are the result of the presence of sin and the influence of evil in the world. God meets us there in these broken places and redeems our pains and struggles. God is good and he loves us very much!
___________________________
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
-1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)
-1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)
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