Fear can be all consuming. It can make a normally level headed person turn into a person who can’t think straight, can’t function through daily activities, and maybe even a person who is hoarding items from the grocery store “just in case.”

Coronavirus is the buzzword for fear right now. In every city in the United States people are making decisions on how to stay safe. Stores do not have many staple items, even ones such as baby wipes and toilet paper, because people are preparing to be quarantined for weeks. They are preparing for the virus to affect their homes.

Is preparation a bad thing? I would say no. I live in a place that gets hit by hurricanes. We make preparations when we know a hurricane is potentially coming towards us. Preparations are not in vain. Normally the supplies we buy can be used at a later date if you don’t use them during a natural disaster, so your money is not wasted. I assume it is the same for preparations for a quarantine.

But do we really need to go all out to prepare? Where do we stand as Christians on this matter? Should we be preparing for the worst and hoping for the best?

For many people the thought of this virus is overwhelming. They want it to stay as far away from their homes as possible. I understand that feeling. I have issues with my immune system. I am one of the people that should I contract this virus, the likelihood of my body being able to fight it off is not very high.

I think we have to slow our thoughts. If you have ever had an anxiety attack, you know that your thoughts begin to go faster and faster and things get bigger and scarier. The way an anxiety attack is calmed is to become present and aware of where you are. You take time to notice each of your five senses. You take time to realize what you can see in the room around you, what you can hear right where you are, what your body is touching in the present moment, what you taste right then, what the room you are in smells like. By doing those things, and being present, you are able to slow your thoughts, take back some control of them and the anxiety begins to calm.

With the threat of this virus, I believe we have to slow our thoughts about it as well. We have to consider what is true. Is the virus widespread in your area right now? Are there things you can do to help prevent the spread of it? We could all quarantine ourselves inside for months until it gets warm enough for the virus to die. But the best thing for now is for us to take precautions. Use hand sanitizer and wash your hands often. Stop hand shakes and hugs. Stay home if you are sick and keep your children home if they are sick. Boost your immune system with Vitamin C and probiotics or other things of your choosing. You can use grocery pick up rather than grocery shopping. That keeps you from being around a lot of people and touching things a lot of people have touched. Eat as well as possible and drink your water. And if I may add another one, pray. Ask the Lord to keep you safe.

I think we must hold on to the fact that the Lord knows the number of our days. He already knows when we are going to leave this earth. Does that mean we are reckless and live dangerously? Of course not! But I do believe that we can live confidently, trusting Him to carry us through scary times in our lives. Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, not to lean on our own understanding and the Lord will direct our steps. Psalm 23 tells us that the Lord is our Shepherd. He makes us to lie down in green pastures, He leads us beside still waters. He restores our souls. Even in times of fear. It continues on to say that the Lord even leads us through the valley of the shadow of death. And because of His leading, we don’t have to fear. I Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all of our cares on the Lord because He cares for us. Jesus isn’t throwing us into the midst of this crazy time to flail helplessly. He is with us, through every step!

Some people will get sick, and some may even die. That is a sad fact. I pray for those who will be affected. But during the time of illness, God won’t abandon us. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. Verse 6 goes on to say that we do not need to fear what man can do to us. And may I take the liberty to say what a virus can do to us. God is in control. He loves us completely and fully, and we are safe in His hands no matter what happens.

Many people’s gut reaction right now is to stop their lives, to stock up on all of the essentials from the store for a month, to not go to church. Friends don’t give in to the urge. Instead, prove that you trust God. If the time comes, and it becomes necessary for you to quarantine, then do it. But until then, live. Go to church, don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together. I believe that God will honor our continued presence in His house. My church has been amazing making changes to keep people safe, they have suspended welcome time for now, they have hand sanitizing stations everywhere accessible for people upon entry to every building, they are using gloves and handing people the elements of the Lord’s table. Since they have done that, I feel as safe as I can to be at church. And I want to make sure that fear doesn’t drive me from God’s presence and my church family on Sundays. Will you trust God with your Sundays as well?

I know that this whole epidemic is scary. But we can either choose to be ruled by fear or we can choose to ruled by our Father, trusting that He knows our future. Take precautions. Be smart. Take care of those around you. Pray often. Trust that the Lord knows your future and has your best interest in mind, even if you get sick.

Fear can actually make people sick. Let’s all work very hard to not let anxiety cause more issues than the actual virus itself might. If the virus comes, commit to doing what you can for your family, for your church family. And let’s most importantly pray, pray that God will use this to bring people to Him. Pray that we can be the hands and feet of Jesus in the midst of hard circumstances. Pray that we abide close to our Father in a time when we may have be tempted to be scared and forget to pray because we are worrying. This will end; let’s look back and see how God used it in our lives and in the lives of others and thank Him for His magnificent work rather than looking back and seeing a trail of bad decisions made in a time of high anxiety. Fear is a liar. God is trustworthy and in complete control even of a virus that seems to be out of control.