SEVEN DO’S AND DON’TS DURING A CRISIS

    1.        Don’t try to question God about why this is being allowed.

Do be thankful for His care and concern towards you in times past which have enabled you to see this day (Ps 103:2).  And stop questioning the Almighty and All-knowing God (Isa 45:9-12).  We need to recognize that God is sovereign and that He does not need to disclose everything to us.  Moreover, we don’t need to know.  Let us be still and know that He is God. 

    2.      Don’t be quick to conclude that this is God’s judgment on wickedness.

Do remember that God so loved the world (Jn 3:16).  He doesn’t think and react like man (Hos 11:9).  Let us not allow our personal anger towards sin and wickedness affect our judgment.  Remember, God’s grace towards mankind is not expired yet.  

    3.      Don’t just presume that God is purifying and disciplining His children.

Do realize that God has no pleasure in bringing sickness and disease upon His children for whom He sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross and by whose stripes we are/were healed (Isa 53:5, 1 Pet 2:24).  God’s discipline involves teaching and training; it is not intended to destroy and kill.

    4.      Don’t attempt to assess God and His plans towards mankind.

Do accept the fact that God’s thoughts are not your thoughts and God’s ways are not your ways; because His ways are higher than your ways and His thoughts than your thoughts (Isa 55:8-9).  We don’t have to know the how and why of God’s plans.  It would be enough to know that a loving God would not wish any to perish but have everlasting life.  He is waiting with open arms for all to be saved.

    5.      Don’t be shaken emotionally by the suffering that you are seeing around you.

Do understand that God’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear (Isa 59:1).  He sees and knows everything.  Don’t stress yourself or even blame yourself or anyone for the suffering around you.  We are always supposed to respond to the needy with kindness; not just during pandemics.

    6.      Don’t worry about what might happen next.

Worry is an indirect way of saying that God is not in control; fear is another way of saying that God is not with you. We are told not to be careful for anything.  We are told not to fear.  Every night is followed by daylight.  So, take courage; He will see us through.

    7.      Don’t waste your time and thoughts trying to analyze the present situation.

 a.    Do meditate on the promises of God.

b.    God promises that “……. His thoughts of peace……….will give an expected end” (Jer 29:11).

c.    Remember, it is God’s will that you are not only prospering in your soul, but that you are prospering in every other area including your health (3 John 2).

d.    Do invest your time and thoughts on the future. 

e.    Think about the changes you would like to make to your life.

f.     Think about the changes you would like to make to your ministry.

g.    Pray and seek His counsel for the next phase in your life.

CONCLUSION:

Let us look beyond the clouds like the eagle.  Let us take the stormy wind in, to take us higher.  Let us be as eagles waiting for that new day.  Let us be farsighted.

Rom 8:31 - What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Rom 8:32 - He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Rom 8:33 - Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

Rom 8:34 - Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:35 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

-Melchizedek