Guest blog by Tamara Dix

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 
- Philippians 4:6 New Living Translation

I’m not sure about you, but I did not see the COVID-19 pandemic coming. When I first heard of the Coronavirus (thank you FaceBook) I thought it was a prank, a joke about people drinking too many corona’s.
When I realised that it was real, I assumed it was an overreaction, and that it wasn’t as bad as the media was making it out to be. I never envisioned the restrictions that would be put into place within a short space of time, didn’t even consider that we wouldn’t be allowed within two metres of people outside our household (everyone for me!), that cafés and restaurants would be closed – meaning no catch ups or celebrations - that there would be no interstate or international travel, and no hugs or physical contact with people outside your household.

It feels like a dream, or a movie...and yet it’s real life. Our current “normal”.

I remember watching the fear set in with people. Seeing the hidden personality traits surface as a result of that fear, I watched as people turned on each other over toilet paper and other grocery items that were suddenly a hot commodity.

I was pleasantly surprised that I did not experience the same level of fear within myself. Don’t get me wrong - I definitely had some fear driven moments. To paint it blankly, I am a New Zealand citizen, I have been in my current job for less than 12 months, when the pandemic started I hadn’t even been back in Australia for 12 months, and I am not entitled to any kind of assistance in Australia.

So yes, I had some moments of fear. But they were just that – moments. They were fleeting and thankfully passed quickly.

COVID-19 has reminded me of a few things that as a Christian, I know I can stand firm on in moments when fear or uncertainty might rise, when anxiety wants to take hold, God gently pressed these reminders on my heart.

1.     I know that nothing is certain in this world. I am not guaranteed a tomorrow, a complete today, or any other day for that matter. The only thing I know that is certain is that God has a tomorrow waiting for me in heaven, that because of Jesus an eternal life IS certain.

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 
- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT

“Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.” 
- Matthew 6:34 The Passion Translation

2.     I am not in control. Sometimes I like to pretend that I am, I often make future plans without consulting God, and if the plans fail it is usually God who I blame. Even when I kept Him out of it from the beginning. Remembering that I am not in control is such a relief!

Go ahead and make all the plans you want, but it’s the Lord who will ultimately direct your steps. We are all in love with our own opinions, convinced they’re correct. But the Lord is in the midst of us, testing and probing our every motive. Before you do anything put your trust totally in God and not in yourself. Then every plan you make will succeed. 
- Proverbs 16:1-3 TPT

3.     I do not have to think the same way that the world does. God wants to transform me; other’s may not think it’s possible for me to change, but God sees me as His perfect creation. He has so much more for me than who I used to be.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
- Romans 12:2 NKJV 

4.     I need to remember that I am human, alone I am not perfect. Nor should I strive to be in my own strength. I will have moments/days when I’m not coping, times when I’m emotional and mourning what I can’t do (this happened to me just last week!). But I also can’t live in those moments or days. I have to seek God in my weaknesses.

God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.
- Psalms 18:32 NLT

But he answered me, “My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness.” So I will celebrate my weakness, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 TPT

God has called me, as a Christian, to be different – to be the light in the world, one that cannot be hidden (see Matthew 5:14).

What God has reminded me of in this season of worldly chaos, is that He already knows the outcome. And so do we. We know this pandemic will come to an end. We know that we will be able to gather in person once again. We know that God is not surprised by any of this. We know that we can rest in God’s peace to get us through this season, we can trust in Him.

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
- Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:7 NLT