COVID-19: ENCOURAGE YOURSELF

Dearly Beloved, COVID-19: ENCOURAGE YOURSELF “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5, NKJV). As COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the whole world unabated for months and more people are dying as a result of the virus, many people have been depressed and disappointed. The fact that it has caused most parts of the world to be on lock down and people are confined to their homes without the opportunity to move freely outside or do normal business has made life boring and monotonous for many people. The worst situation is the fact that people can no longer congregate in worship places to serve their God! No one knows when this situation will come to end. Indeed, this is a trying time for the whole world! The writer of Psalms 42 and 43 found himself in a similar situation. He was unable to join other people to worship God in the Temple. He longed for that fellowship and yearned for the worship of God. He was depressed. Nevertheless, thrice in those Psalms (believed to have been composed at the same time), the psalmist encouraged himself and expressed his trust in God: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (42:5, 11; 43:5, NKJV). The Amalekites raided the base of David and his men, and took captive their wives in 1 Samuel 30. When David and his men came back to their base and discovered what had happened, they “lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep” (verse 4 NKJV). David personally was greatly distressed because of the calamity. However, the Bible says, “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (verse 6b NKJV). In other words, he encouraged himself and still trusted in God. He and his men later recovered everything they had lost including their wives. As the psalmist (in Psalms 42 and 43) acknowledged his emotional struggles in his time of distress, there is nothing wrong for us to admit our frustrations in this trying time of COVID-19 pandemic. We may be remembering the time we used to fellowship with others as we worshipped God in our places of worship, and we may be longing for such fellowships again. In spite of this, in a time like this, each of us needs to encourage him/herself. We should, like the psalmist, continue to hope in God and wait patiently for His appointed time to put an end to this pandemic. We should also, like David, strengthen ourselves in the Lord. We will recover everything that we have lost during this time of COVID-19 pandemic in Jesus’ name. Amen. In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Pray that you will continue to encourage yourself in spite of this frustrating time of COVID-19 pandemic.