PBPC Daily - Monday, April 20

Dear Friends,

Good morning and welcome to Monday. I hope you've had a good weekend and are finding new and interesting ways to keep yourselves occupied!

As I watch and read the news at this point in the pandemic, there is both good news and bad news. The infection rate and death toll are not as high as many predicted they would be by now, especially in our state. But at the same time, our situation seems to be stretching out indefinitely, and there is no clear end in sight to our social distancing efforts or the restart of our economy and institutions.

These uncertainties about the future are an understandable source of anxiety for many of us. Even if we remain healthy, will we still have jobs? Will our children be able to continue their education? Will we have the freedom to be together with our loved ones? Will life ever return to what it once was?

This scripture verse has provided much comfort and encouragement to me over the years:

⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7

God does not want our lives to be defined by worry, anxiety, or fear. Instead, God invites us to bring all of our worries and concerns to Him, and to release them. We can rest in the truth that God loves us and will not abandon us. He will be with us no matter what sort of challenge we face or dark valley we must walk through.

The peace which God gives us is not the peace that comes from living in denial of our circumstances or that chooses only to look at the positive side of things. Rather, this peace which surpasses all human understanding comes from facing the reality that we find ourselves in, believing that God is right in the thick of it with us, and that God is greater than our circumstances.

Friends, let us trust that God is with us as we continually ask for what we need. And I pray that your heart and mind will be "guarded" by God's peace today.

Blessings,

Pastor Chris