Do you remember how it felt? Your parents had just tucked the covers in tightly around you, listened to you say your prayers, let you get that one last drink of water as you pulled out all the tricks to delay the inevitable, and then they said “good night” and turned out the lights. They hadn’t been gone very long until you heard it… something was under your bed, you just knew it! You laid there for a few minutes as the fear started to get worse and finally you yell out “MOM!!!!! or DAD!!!! or both! They rush to your room where in a frightened voice you say, “There’s a monster under my bed!” When they understand your fear, what did they do? They turned on the light and showed you that there was no monster under your bed. They helped you confront your fear.

Now here we are and as you read this you may be in your teens, 30’s or even nearing 100 and there’s suddenly another invisible monster that has you living in anxiety and fear.

My profession requires me to be very analytical. I perform root cause analysis. Not just identify a concern, but understand why it’s occurring and how to prevent it from recurring. My analytical brain is attacking the fear of this pandemic in that same manner. Follow me if you will as I shine the light on the monster under your bed and challenge your thinking as we confront the fear….

What are you afraid of? Most will answer “The Corona virus”. OK, let’s break it on down a bit further…

Why are you afraid of the Corona virus? I’ve received 2 answers from those I’ve asked: (1) I’m afraid I will get it and die. (2) I’m concerned about my employment and the potential loss of income.

Let’s first shine the light on “I’m afraid I will get it and die”. You have just as much of a chance of getting hit by a bus tomorrow, or dying from a number of other diseases or natural causes. My point is that at some point, life on this earth ends. No one can escape it, this virus just brings it to the forefront of our minds that are normally so busy we never really contemplate it. As the modern day church has been fixated on miracles, signs and wonders, we sometimes forget that THE BIGGEST miracle is salvation – the free gift of eternal life for those who accept the gift. Yes, physical healing is an amazing blessing from God and we praise Him for each and every one. But we all must face our final breath on this earth some day. Peace comes from knowing it is not the end, but merely the grand central station from this life to the next for a weary traveler ready to meet Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE.” – John 3:16

The Holy Spirit guides us and brings us comfort and peace during these trying times. How do we get the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead that can live inside of us?

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 2:38

And now, let’s shine the light on “I’m concerned about my income..” The answer to that is spelled out very clearly in Matthew 6: 25-33

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

This world has turned upside down in just a few short weeks. But I believe it’s turning us toward God. I believe this is a chance for us to get back to what this country was founded on – Christian principles – “In God We Trust”. A chance to love our neighbors as ourselves.

“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled. And those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Matthew 23:12

Movie Stars, CEO’s, Sports Figures … in the blink of an eye those whom society exalted have been humbled as the entertainment industry, the Vegas strip, and Professional sports have been brought to a halt. The stock market lows have brought huge financial losses. CEO’s taking a cut in pay. People with big plans, brought to a sudden halt and being reminded that we are never really in control.

In the meantime the farmers, the truck drivers, the blue collar workers, the nurses and the doctors are suddenly the hard working middle class is now considered “essential” to make this country run.

Do I think we are in the end days? You read what it says the end days will look like in 2 Timothy Chapter 3 and decide for yourself…

But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!

Having a form of Godliness but “denying the power”… there are a lot of buildings out out there today that have put up a cross and call themselves a church, but they don’t talk about the blood and the cross and that’s where the power lies. You get a program instead of His presence. Attendees are not encouraged to live holy lives but instead live so close to the world one can barely tell the difference… And suddenly … their doors are shut.

The good news is, God has the biggest flashlight to dispel the darkness and fear! He tells us often in His word what to do if we are afraid or if our land needs healing. Pray.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ 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 4:6-7

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Yes, your world will most likely not look the same a month from now or even a year from now. BUT, life will go on and if we seek Jesus first, everything will fall into place. And those monsters will no longer be lingering under your bed, and there is nothing to fear.