Rejoicing in Pandemic
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4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 4:
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Suffering is not a bad thing
Suffering is not a bad thing
“I have come to see that pain and pleasure come to us not as opposites but as Siamese twins, strangely joined and intertwined. Nearly all my memories of acute happiness, in fact, involve some element of pain or struggle.” - Paul Brand
Reasons to Rejoice during the pandemic
Reasons to Rejoice during the pandemic
“They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls.” - Charles Spurgeon
Reasons to Rejoice during the pandemic
Reasons to Rejoice during the pandemic
Reasons to Rejoice during the pandemic
Reasons to Rejoice during the pandemic
God builds us through suffering
God builds us through suffering
When God causes or allows pandemic, he is testing his people
The Church thrives under pressure
The Church thrives under pressure
God gets glory in Christian suffering
God gets glory in Christian suffering
The world is attracted to those who suffer well
The world is attracted to those who suffer well
people expect you to freak out
they do not expect you to rejoice in a situation where you should be scared.
How Do I Rejoice during the pandemic?
How Do I Rejoice during the pandemic?
I know it is cliche, but we rejoice in knowing that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth and nothing takes place outside of him.
Do you realize that literally nothing can happen to you that is outside of God?
The worst this pandemic can do to you will not separate you from the joy and love of God.
This is what made Paul such an annoying person.