by Gina Caswell Kelly
I am calling this column “Making a Difference – 2.0.” I just feel like God is calling me to do something or say something during these days in which we are living.
When all this virus stuff first started being talked about, we all kind of thought, “Oh well. Just one more thing.” Now, we are watching as, what appears on the surface to be mass hysteria is sweeping our land. I have spent a good part of my life looking at things and trying to determine what God wants me to learn from different situations. I can recall, after Mike Kelly died, trying to work on an irrigation system in the field. What should have been a simple task was causing me no end of frustration. I remember looking up at the sky and yelling, “Why does everything have to be a learning experience for me??” God didn’t answer me at that time. He just smiled and was patient with his oh so impatient child. I later figured out exactly what God wanted from me through that. And it was great.
I was lying in bed this morning, listening to the rainfall and thinking about all that is going on, and it occurred to me that God is using all this as a teachable moment for His kids. Us. On one side, you have those that are totally bought into the spread of this disease and how we have to do something to stop it now or we will all die. On the other side, you have those that are calling it a conspiracy theory and blaming those in our media and in the political arena for driving this frenzy. Somewhere in the middle lies the truth.
I believe it is real and the longer it goes on, I can see the validity in changing certain events to help stop the spread. I believe it probably really is in our best interest as a country to really start paying better attention to these things before it consumes our land. I also believe that there is a segment of the media that is bent on driving it until it brings our country to its knees, in order to work their agenda and force their views on our country.
Here is where I stand. We have to understand the real fears of those around us. As Christians, it does us no good to get on social media and just blow off those who are living in absolute fear about what is going on around us. What we can offer those living in fear is the absolute knowledge that God is in control. Fear is not in control. The media is not in control. Those on the political stage are not in control. Only my God is. We must stop this fear and be rational. We must listen to truth only, and not statistics that are placed on Facebook from unknown sources. There are real and true sources for factual information about all that is going on around us. We must stop reacting with rage. Sure, many lives have been disrupted and there is likely to be economic issues from this. In fact, we are already seeing that. But, did you ever think for a second that this could be one more warning from God to seek His face? Maybe so.
I like sports as much as anyone. I live for March Madness. But, perhaps, this could be God’s way of saying to get away from the television. Get away from Facebook. Get your family back together. Get your Bible out. Enjoy what you have around you and pray for our country and our world. Pray for common sense to prevail. Pray that you will have Godly eyes and try hard to see His view in all this.
It can’t hurt, and it can certainly make a difference.
