I did a crazy thing today. It’s not the first time and it probably won’t be the last. But most people would probably call this one of the craziest. I signed on for a new (more expensive) apartment. Not a big deal, right?But, in case you haven’t noticed, the world is anything but stable right now. I move in five weeks. I’m not sure that I’ll have a job in two. I didn’t make this decision frivolously or lightly. I weighed my pros and cons. I sought direction from God. And I choose to have hope instead of fear. 

This reminds me of the disciples in the midst of a storm. This storm raging...and that was all they could see. 

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall cam eup, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

(Mark 4:35-40)

Maybe this passage was preached from hundreds of life-streamed church services this past Sunday (I listened to a sermon about Peter stepping out in the storm…). If it was, it can’t hurt to think about it again. 

The disciples felt like everything was dissolving into utter chaos...and Jesus was...asleep? Not because He didn’t care about the disciples. But because He knew the situation wasn’t a reason to be afraid. He had hope and he was at peace. 

I’m not saying we should completely ignore the coronavirus. Please be a responsible human being and practice social distancing. But don’t freak out. Consider this, instead: are you reacting from a place of hope or fear?

This looks different for everyone. For me, fear looks like locking myself in my room and bingeing on stupid television shows. It’s not eating dinner because I can’t handle going downstairs and facing another human being. It’s telling people that I’m fine when, in reality, I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed. It’s shutting out all of my community because I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle their fears or anxieties on top of mine. It’s staying at work late and finding every possible project to keep myself busy because I know that my mind will wander to dark places as soon as I leave. It’s thinking that I should just give in and start smoking copious amounts of pot in order to avoid the negative train of thought that pops up in my mind with every new social media post that I read.

And what about hope? Hope is looking forward to trying new recipes (my sourdough starter is so healthy and I couldn’t be more ready). It’s continuing to plan for the future (WFA Certification coming Summer 2020?!). It’s making a list of possible cat names (Vinny, Imogene and Maple are currently in the lead). It’s thinking about how to spend my birthday (June is the perfect time to tackle a few peaks in New Hampshire). It’s being honest with people when they ask how I am (I’ve never been good at that). And it’s planning out craft projects and outdoor adventures for every single letter of the alphabet because, when my preschool friends come back to school, they will be so ready (G is for gardens...J is for journals...)!

Maybe some of this rings true for you. You find yourself making choices from a place of fear. That’s normal. There’s a lot to cause fear right now. But I challenge you to dig deep and find a little glimmer of hope. 

Channel that hope into a small thing to start with. Maybe it’s washing the dishes or finishing a school assignment. Maybe it’s calling a friend or going for a walk. Maybe it’s snuggling with your cat or eating dinner. Let your tiny seed of hope grow into something that can carry you forward. 

And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Elizabeth spent the past six years doing life in Nashville, TN…from grad school to working in a pie shop to running after school programs. But then she got a little antsy. She’s currently in a season of “wandering”…exploring the people, tastes and experiences that the country has to offer. As she set out on this journey her hope was to engage with people in more authentic ways and to hike everything possible. If you're curious about where she is and what she's up to, visit sunsetsstormclouds.home.blog.