Positive Products of a Crisis Situation

Introduction

As the our current circumstances continue to unfold it would be easy to focus on all of the negative impacts of this crisis upon each of our lives.

Yet we know that for you and I as believers, there is good that God desires to accomplish in our lives as a result of this pandemic.

Tonight we are going to examine some of the possible positive effects that this crisis can have upon on our lives.

We cannot ignore the difficulties and hardships that all of us are experiencing, but it may be that God’s desire is to produce a change in our perspective that will ultimately be a positive result of this virus.

The Psalmist here is also in the midst of troubling times and is facing despair yet it produces positive attitudes in his/her life that ultimately were beneficial.

What positive attitudes should the current crisis produce in us?

Renewed Thirst for the Presence of God (Vs. 1-2)

In the course of our normal daily lives it is easy to forget that we need the presence of God. Circumstances such as we are currently facing will ultimately serve to make us more aware of our need of His presence.

Trying times like these cause us to recognize our own frailty and to hunger and thirst for God’s presence.

We begin to feel overwhelmed and the pressures of life begin to mount and the only one that can provide relief is the Lord!

The Psalmist paints a picture of a deer who has been pushed to the point of exhaustion and is now desperately longing for something that will quench its thirst.

It is God’s desire that as the deer longs for the source of water, so also would we long intensely for HIS presence.

When is the last time we thirsted for God’s presence?

Let us allow this crisis to produce a renewed thirst in each of us to know God’s presence once again.

Let us set aside time each day to commune with Him. Let’s turn off the news, put away our devices, shut off the television and just sit down in the quiet stillness with Him and His Word.

Are you thirsty for the presence of God? Oh how we need His presence in our lives and in our ministries!

Renewed Burden for Those Who Do Not Know God (Vs. 3)

Surely as the people around Him were questioning the existence of God, the Psalmist felt a renewed burden for them.

As of 2PM this afternoon over 46,000 people have died from the Coronavirus alone. Many more have died from other causes.

A crisis like this should serve to refocus our attention upon the people all around us who have no hope, who have no source of peace, comfort, or hope.

The Psalmist’s tears were for those who questioned God’s very existence and we ought also to weep for those that do not believe in God.

Instead of selfish concern for our own well-being, we ought to be deeply concerned for people all across America and around the world who have no relationship to God and who will face eternal condemnation unless they come to know Him!

We ought to weep for those who have lost loved ones and are left without any hope, we ought to weep for those who are lying in hospital beds fighting for their lives in fear of facing death.

Renewed Desire for The House of God (Vs. 4)

One thing that also should be produced in each of us is a renewed desire for the house of God.

We do not know the exact circumstances that the Psalmist was facing but the memory of previous times of worship evidently brought grief and a longing to worship in the temple of God once again.

There is a danger that time away from the house of God will develop a negative attitude of neglecting future opportunities to be there but for the Psalmist the effect was exactly the opposite.

This time that we cannot gather together for worship should produce in us a more intense desire to return to corporate worship.

I am glad that we can have livestream services, but these are an extremely poor substitute for gathering together in the house of God for corporate worship.

It is my hope that even those who have taken attending corporate worship services for-granted in the past will have a new zeal to be at the house of God when we can return to normal.

Attendance in most churches across America is up and down and inconsistent at best. May God help us never to take one service for-granted in the future.

May each of us make a renewed commitment to be in God’s house every opportunity that we have to do so.

Renewed Hope in the God of our Salvation (Vs. 5)

The Psalmist now asks the question why. Why be cast down? Why be disquieted?

The writer then gives the resounding answer. HOPE THOU IN GOD!

Depression may creep into each of our lives during the difficult days ahead but when feeling of despair begin to rise, let us remember to set our hope in God!

There will certainly be moments in the days ahead when anxiety and fear begin to overwhelms us, but in those moments let us remember the hope that we have in Christ!

Anxiety and fear are

Anxiety and fear will certainly

Every believer who has set their hope in God has the promise of His help in the midst of the trials of this life.

- “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”

Let us never cease to praise Him who has redeemed us to himself, Him who has promised us eternal life, Him who has promised to offer comfort and peace in the midst of the storms of life. He is worthy of our praise.

We will find hope in the Word of God and in His presence. /