Why Trust?
I’ll try to keep this simple. We know we’re in a pandemic, we know we can’t see each other like we want to, and we know this could go on for quite a while still. It’s frustrating, and connecting takes more effort. However, as the old saying goes, “When one door closes another opens” (Alexander Graham Bell). Here’s another way of phrasing it: “When God closes a door, He opens a window”. Well, it’s not exactly a piece of rich theology, seeing as it’s a line from The Sound of Music. But, whether Oscar Hammerstein wanted it to or not, this does reflect God’s abundant love toward us.
So let’s think about this window. Some may say, “If God really wants to help us why give us only a window? Windows are for fresh air, for a glimpse of light, or for escape…” True, but I look at it differently, and see a window of opportunity. It all depends on your perspective. So if we trust that God wants to encourage us to continually seek him and have fellowship and encourage one another, we must believe that He will give us a way. Can we trust Him to do that?
In our case, as a campus ministry, we have been accustomed to meeting several times a week with students who want to spend time together, eat good food, sing, and play games. These were beautiful times of fellowship, sharing stories, and encouragement. I sure hope this will be possible again soon! More importantly, these experiences of community have become foundational to building strong relationships, and upholding one another in tough times. For many of us, this pandemic is an inconvenience. For others, it’s life or death.
How can we combat the months of isolation, sickness, and fear to support one another more? I don’t have answers, and would welcome your thoughts.
Here’s something we are doing. It’s small, but we believe that it’s one window God has given us. Every Wednesday evening at 7:00pm we hold a gathering called Soul Time. The point is simply to support one another. We look to the Bible to find hope and strength in the source of our faith. Faith is not an arbitrary idea that if you believe in something you’ll feel better. Faith is real, and we can build on it together. With faith comes trust. If you are particularly struggling; lonely, unwell, confused, anxious, God will give you strength to trust him, to look for others who will support you, and overcome.
Here are a couple verses from Psalm 40:
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
If you find yourself stuck in a slimy pit sinking in “mud and mire”, or otherwise having a particularly difficult time right now, know that we understand. I believe that God will open a window of opportunity for you. God is Love, and if we trust in him, He will set us on a rock and give us a new song. A new hope. A new trust.
More on this next week. Let me know what your thoughts are!