Facing Uncertainty

Well, good morning, church. Those of you who are here, those of you who are listening in from home,

as we worship the Lord this morning, turn with me in your Bible, if you have one, to the book of James.

James chapter 4, verses 13 to 17.

James 4:13–17

James chapter 4, verses 13 through 17.

James 4:13–17

Let me read these verses.

Come now, you who say, today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit.

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.

What is your life?

For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.

As it is, you boast in your arrogance.

All such boasting is evil.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Some Bible passages seem to ring so obviously true in the age of COVID.

And I think this is one of them, right?

Here we have a warning directed towards people who are making plans and setting goals and anticipating results with far too much confidence.

Now if you just think over the last six months, probably all of us can identify plans that have had to be canceled, goals that have needed to be adjusted, and results that didn't come through in the way we would have expected.

And as we look ahead to the next six months, one of the few things that we can be certain of about this world is that many things will continue to be uncertain.

What's school looking like in the fall?

Well, still up in the air.

What about the job market in six months?

That's pretty unclear.

Will we see a resurgence of COVID in Connecticut this fall?

Well, maybe.

What will be the long-term effects?

Socially, politically, economically, of this pandemic that we're living through?

Well, we'll have to see how those develop, for good and bad.

We're living in a time of uncertainty.

And for many of us, uncertainty produces anxiety.

Right?

If we know what's coming down the pike, we can prepare ourselves for it.

If it's already happened, then most of the time we can somehow reconcile ourselves to what has already happened.

But when so much of what we used to take for granted is now uncertain, we can feel constantly on edge.

According to a Census Bureau study, rates of anxiety and depression in the United States have doubled since January.

And ironically, younger people, 18 to 29, have had by far the highest increase in rates of anxiety and depression,

even though younger people have by far the lowest chance of dying from COVID.

Older people, 70 and above, report only one-third the rate of anxiety and depression as younger folks.

Interesting.

Right?

Now, different ones of us are prone to feel anxiety for different reasons,

whether it's health concerns or whether it's financial stress or whether it's political turmoil

or whether it's worries for loved ones.

But the anxiety we experience is not always in proportion to the danger that we actually face.

Sometimes we can feel far more anxiety than is actually warranted.

Or sometimes we can feel no concern at all when we actually should have some serious concerns.

Now, we may not be able to control all our feelings of anxiety,

but the thing is when we let anxiety drive us,

it can either make us debilitated and paralyzed and unable to do nearly anything

except worry and worry more,

or we can become angry and volatile

because we don't like feeling anxious

and we don't like the uncertainty and we want it to go away, but it won't.

Now, it's also possible to respond to uncertainty not so much with anxiety,

but rather with arrogance.

Right?

Many people have become just fed up with all the restrictions.

And perhaps in some cases, with some warrant,

some people see that some particular restriction doesn't completely make sense,

and so they've decided,

I'm just going to do what I want to do.

I don't want anybody to tell me otherwise.

Now, of course, that attitude has often surfaces in many circumstances and times, right?

That's what James was dealing with.

In verse 13, he addresses business people

who are making confident plans to travel and trade and make money.

Now, as far as we know, they weren't,

James doesn't mention anything about plagues or pestilences,

but in the ancient world, there was always the possibility of wars,

conflicts, famines, plagues, civil unrest, economic decline.

Those are always possibilities in the ancient world,

and especially when you would travel outside of your homeland.

But, of course, these people, in verse 13, who are talking,

had a cushion to protect themselves.

They were business people.

You know, 70 to 80 percent of people in the ancient world

could not fathom traveling to a different place,

settling there for a year, starting a business there,

because they didn't have the capital to do that.

They didn't have the money to travel far, right?

They couldn't, they were people who were living at a subsistence level,

surviving day to day, right?

So these people James was speaking to were relatively well off in the ancient world.

They had enough capital, enough freedom, enough resources to consider traveling to a different city,

settling, living abroad for a year, starting their business, trading, and making a profit in the end.

Now, there's nothing wrong with any of the things they were planning to do.

There's nothing, you know, the Bible never says it's wrong to travel or live abroad or trade

or even try to make a profit, right?

All of those are legitimate human activities.

But the problem, James says, is that these people were boasting in their self-centered arrogance.

Notice that their plans are all about themselves.

There's no acknowledgement of factors beyond their control.

There's no mention of God at all.

And there's no apparent concern for other people's well-being.

They're only thinking about what I want to do and how I'm going to accomplish it.

Now, how do we face an uncertain world without falling into ungodly anxiety or ungodly arrogance?

That's the question we're dealing with this morning and that James is speaking to.

So, in this passage, what we're going to see is two truths to remember and two instructions to follow.

Two truths to remember and two instructions to follow.

So, first truth to remember we see in verse 14.

Life is unpredictable and short.

You don't know what tomorrow will bring.

What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

You know, over and over the Bible reminds us of how short and unpredictable our lives on earth are.

In the Psalms, Psalm 39, verse 5 and 6,

Psalms 39:5

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath.

Surely a man goes about as a shadow.

Surely as a breath they are in turmoil.

Or in the book of Job,

Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.

He comes out like a flower and withers.

He flees like a shadow and continues not.

Or in the Prophets, Hosea 13, 3,

We are like the morning mist,

Like the dew that goes early away,

Like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor,

Like smoke from a window.

Right?

All of these metaphors,

A breath,

A shadow,

A flower,

The chaff,

The dew,

The morning mist,

Smoke from a window,

Emphasize how fragile our human lives are.

We are not invincible.

We are not indestructible.

We are not ultimately in control.

Now some of us have,

Some of us like these people in verse 13,

May have resources and connections and choices

That cushion us against the bumps and bruises

That we would otherwise feel more acutely in life.

But none of those resources and connections and choices

Can save us from dying in the end.

And over and over the Bible reminds us of this fact.

Now I think during the course of this pandemic,

Pretty much everyone has been forced to acknowledge

That the first half of this verse is true.

You don't know what tomorrow will bring.

Right?

Now of course,

Some people knew that pretty well beforehand.

If you've experienced trauma,

Trauma teaches you that lesson.

You don't know what tomorrow is going to bring.

Now some of us have been sailing along pretty well

And we thought we had a good handle on life

And maybe it was hardest for us

To recognize the unpredictability of life.

But here's the question.

Have we faced not just the first half of this verse

But also the second half?

Life is not just unpredictable.

Life is short.

You are a mist, James says.

You know, there were maybe a couple of weeks in March

When it felt like many people were really grappling with their mortality

In the face of this new and mysterious virus.

You know, since then,

The world has largely moved on from that topic.

Right?

We're focused on all kinds of other things now.

Suppressing the virus,

Finding a vaccine,

Reopening the economy,

The coming election,

All kinds of other turmoil

In the world.

And these are all legitimate topics to consider and discuss.

But have we shifted our focus to all those things

That we think we can control

Or maybe at least a little bit influence

Because it's too uncomfortable to face the fact

That one day,

And it could really be any day,

Our time on earth will be done.

And we can't do a thing about it.

We are a mist that appears for a little while

And then disappears.

Have we come to terms with that?

You know, even if COVID were to completely disappear off the scene tomorrow,

Our bodies are still vulnerable to disease

And accidents and violence

And toxic chemicals and old age.

We are fragile.

And the Bible repeatedly confronts us with this truth.

First of all, just because it's true.

The Bible says a lot of things just because they're true.

Undeniably.

But the Bible also repeatedly confronts us with this truth

Because until we face this truth,

We will not be able to truly live wisely

In the time that we have.

It's only by facing this uncomfortable truth

That we can live humbly

And courageously

In the time that we do have on earth.

Moses prayed, as we heard earlier,

Teach us to number our days

That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Now, I suspect that this is one reason

Why older people in general

Have been far less anxious and depressed

During this pandemic.

Even though they have a far greater health risk.

Many older people have grappled with their mortality.

And many younger people haven't.

But you know, the Bible's words are for all of us.

Young and old alike.

So that we all might become wise.

It doesn't happen automatically as we age.

It happens as we take to heart

The lessons that God is teaching us

Through his word

And along the way of our lives.

So life is short

And unpredictable.

That's the first truth

That James wants us to remember.

But the second truth that James

Points us to in verse 15

Is that our lives are in

The Lord's hands.

And if the first truth

Life is short and unpredictable

Is a humbling truth

The second truth

Is a reassuring truth.

Our lives are in the Lord's hands.

If the Lord wills

We will live and do this or that.

James is not just saying

James is not just

Sort of making a general acknowledgement

That life is uncertain

And we can't predict what will happen.

James is specifically reminding us

Our lives are in the hands

Of the Lord himself.

God is the one who gave us

Life and breath

In the first place.

God is the one who sustains our lives

Until our last breath.

So we're not just subject to

Circumstances we can't predict

And other people's choices

That we can't control.

The world that we live in

Is ordered by God's providence.

In other words,

The God who created all things

Holds all things together

By his power.

He's the one who holds together

The atoms and the molecules

And the tiny particles

That none of us really understand

How they work.

He holds the world together.

And yet, the Bible also says

This fallen and sinful world

Is also standing under God's judgment.

When we look at the world

And see chaos

Or lies, violence, disharmony,

Selfishness, bitterness

Those are all signs

Of the fallen and broken state

Of this world

And of God's righteous judgment.

In other words, God

Giving us over

To our selfish and foolish desires

And letting us see

Some of their harmful

And destructive effects.

And yet, the Bible says

That God not only sustains

The world in his providence

And the world is under

His righteous judgment

But it's also sustained

And kept by his steadfast love.

God has not unleashed

His judgment

Finally and completely.

He also holds us together

In his steadfast love.

He hasn't let our world

Unravel completely.

Because he's showing us

His kindness and patience

And forbearance

And calling us

To see his steadfast love

That is ultimately shown to us

In his son Jesus.

You know, we will not

Always understand

Why things happen

The way they do.

But the Bible says

We can know the one

Who holds us

And holds all things

In his hands.

Notice that here

In verse 15

James doesn't just say

If it is God's will.

Even ancient pagans

Would say things like

If the God's will.

James says

If the Lord wills.

And now sometimes

In James

The Lord

Refers to Jesus Christ himself.

Chapter 1 verse 1

And chapter 2 verse 1

Sometimes in James

The Lord refers to

God the Father

As in chapter 3 verse 9.

You see, in the Old Testament

The Lord, Yahweh

Was the personal name

Of God.

The God who makes

And keeps his promises.

The God who has come

To dwell with his people.

The God who is gracious

And merciful

Slow to anger

And abounding in love.

And that's a reassuring

And energizing truth

To know that our lives

Are in the hands

Of the Lord

Who has promised

To never leave us

Nor forsake us.

And that gives us courage

To plan and pray

And work

Because the Lord himself

Has put us here

For such a time as this

And it also gives us

Humility

It gives us freedom

To recognize

That we are not the Lord

And our choices

And our plans

Are not the last word.

Now throughout

The book of James

James echoes the wisdom

Of the Old Testament

Book of Proverbs

And he does so here

As in many other places

Proverbs encourages

Careful planning.

Proverbs 21 verse 5

Proverbs 21:5

Says the plans

Of the diligent

Lead to abundance.

Proverbs 20 verse 18

Proverbs 20:18

Says plans are established

By counsel

By wise guidance

Wage war.

Proverbs also reminds us

That whatever our plans

May be

It's only the Lord's purpose

That will prevail

In the end.

Proverbs 19 verse 21

Proverbs 19:21

The human mind

May devise many plans

But it is the Lord's purpose

That will be established.

Or 16.9

In their hearts

Humans plan their course

But the Lord

Establishes their steps.

And when we look

To the New Testament

We see the Apostle Paul

Putting this principle

Into practice.

Many times

To the church in Ephesus

He said

Acts 18.21

I will return to you

If God wills.

Or to the church

In Corinth he wrote

I hope to spend

Some time with you

If the Lord permits.

1 Corinthians 16.7

To the church in Rome

He wrote

I'm asking

Praying that somehow

By God's will

I may succeed

In coming to you.

Now Paul doesn't

Include this phrase

If the Lord wills

Every single time

He talks about his plans

It's not a magic word.

Right?

Sometimes, right,

We, you know,

Those of us who are parents

Teach our children

Please and thank you

And sometimes

Those are even called, right,

The magic,

What's the magic word?

Please.

Right?

But, you know,

You can say please

And thank you

Without really meaning it.

Without really having respect

And honor for the person

You're speaking to.

Right?

Those words

Are only supposed to cultivate

In us an attitude

Of respect and honor

For whoever we are dealing with.

And in the same way

This phrase

If the Lord wills

It's a good phrase to use

But it's meant to cultivate

A respect and honor

For the God

Who is sovereign

And in charge

Of all of our plans

And who oversees all things.

Right?

So whether or not

We say those words

As we're

Explicitly

As we're talking about

Our plans

All of our plans are

We're meant to be reminded

That all of our plans

Are subject to that

Subject to that provision.

So, two truths to remember

Life is short and unpredictable

Our lives are in the Lord's hands.

Now, James gives us

Two instructions to follow

That flow out of these two truths

In verse 16 and verse 17.

So, first instruction to follow

Verse 16

Don't boast in arrogance

Instead, plan with humility.

See, the major problem

That James seems to be dealing with

In these verses

Is arrogant presumption.

And this is especially

A temptation for those of us

Who, like the business people

In verse 13

Are relatively well off.

The people in verse 13

Could make travel plans

They had enough money

To move to a new city

They had enough capital

To launch a business there

They had options.

And compared to most people

In the ancient world

Nearly everyone

Not everyone

But the vast majority

Of people in America today

Have options that

Most people in the ancient world

Could never have imagined

Right?

The ability to

Get in a car

And travel

The ability to even

Get on a bus

And travel

The ability to

Move

To a new location

A new apartment

A new house

Right?

The ability to

Consider multiple options

About what

Our job might look like

Or our career might look like

Again, not everybody

Has all those options

Some people

Are just trying to survive

Day to day

Right?

Maybe you're just trying

To survive day to day

You feel like

I don't have many

Of those options

You know

But many of us

Have at least some options

And the more options

We have

The more this

Warning

The more seriously

We need to take this warning

Now

Having options

Is a gift

Right?

Having options

Is not a bad thing

It's not evil

When God put Adam and Eve

In the garden

He gave them

A wealth of options

He said

You can eat from any tree

In the garden

There are so many good options

That are open to you

And he said to them

Be fruitful and multiply

And fill the earth

He gave them a mission

And he gave them

All kinds of options

About good ways

To fulfill that

And yet what happened?

They fell into arrogant presumption

They disregarded the wealth

Of options that God

Had given them

And they arrogantly presumed

To take from the one tree

That God had prohibited

You see

Having options

Whether it's wealth

Or privilege

Or leisure time

Or the means to travel

It's a blessing from God

But it comes with this temptation

Because having options

Allows us to feel

Less directly

Dependent on God

For our every breath

Having options

Creates the temptation

To think that we are

More in control

Of our lives

Than we really are

Having options

Makes it easier

To distance ourselves

From and even ignore

The needs of

Hurting people

Around us

Now over the last six months

Many of us have had

Options removed

In fact I know

Many people who were

You know

Ready to graduate

And take a job

And the whole rug

Has gotten pulled out

Under them

Right?

All kinds of

All kinds of options

Have been suddenly

Taken away

Travel plans

You know

All kinds of things

And many of us

I think have been

Reminded to be grateful

For the simple things

The things that we used

To take for granted

Even just

Having a meal to eat

I think that during

This pandemic

God

It's like God

Has taken a bright

Yellow highlighter

To certain biblical truths

That we have far too

Long ignored

And neglected

And disobeyed

And he has said

Look

See

See what I said here

Two thousand years ago

It's still true

Proverbs 21

Or Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27:1

Verse 1

Don't boast about

Tomorrow

For you don't know

What a day may bring

Here's the question

Will we listen

To what God

Is saying to us

Through this pandemic

And become the wiser

For it in the long run

Or will we just

Adapt unhappily

For the short term

And then return

To our old arrogant ways

In the long term

The truths in these verses

About the shortness of life

And the sovereignty of God

Are not just true

During a pandemic

They are true at all times

And in all places

When the world feels calm

And peaceful

And happy

And when the world

Is in turmoil

And upheaval

And chaos

The truths

Remain the same

And God is reminding us

To take these truths

To heart

And to live wisely

To live courageously

And yet to live humbly

In light of them

What about right now?

What does arrogant presumption

Look like right now?

Let me suggest

A couple of things

I think arrogant presumption

Could look like

An unwillingness to admit

That your current understanding

Of the pandemic

Could be wrong

In one respect

Or another

Now

I've talked to

Many of you

And I read the news

And I've heard all kinds

Of perspectives

On this pandemic

Right?

Probably we all have

Right?

A very wide range

And guess what?

A lot of these perspectives

Directly contradict each other

And can't all be true

At the same time

Now

We can be confident

Of the things

That God has

Revealed

In his word

Because guess what?

There are many things

That the Bible has said

And the church

Has consistently taught

For 2,000 years

They're not going to change tomorrow

Christ died on the cross

For our sins

He rose up from the dead

On the third day

Jesus Christ is the same

Yesterday

Today

And forever

We can hold on

To those truths

With confidence

And they won't change

But this virus

Has been around

For less than a year

Now whatever you think

Of the virus

Or the government's

Response to it

Or society's

Response to it

Or our church's

Response to it

You and I

Might look back

5 or 10 years

Down the road

Or even 5 or 10 months

Down the road

And we might see

Some things about

This situation differently

Right?

That's at least

A strong possibility

That we will look back

And say

Huh

Well

In hindsight

I guess that looks

Sort of different

And we can't

Completely predict

What our insights

Down the road

Are going to be

So let's acknowledge

With humility

What we know

Only tentatively

And in part

Right?

We have to make decisions

Based on limited knowledge

Right?

We shouldn't just do nothing

But we have to acknowledge

What we can know

With confidence

And what we know

Only tentatively

And partially

Second

What might arrogant

Presumption look like

Right now?

Well

Very practically

Consider what are you

Hoping to accomplish

In this next year?

Right?

Like these people

In verse 13

They're talking about

Their plans

For the next year

Now it's good

To have plans

And goals

If you don't have

Any plans

And you don't

Have any goals

Then

You should start

Praying about that

And maybe talk

With somebody else

About

What are you

Intending

To do

Over this next year

How are you

Intending to grow?

Right?

But look at the

People's goals

And plans

In verse 13

It's all about

Themselves

I want to

I want to

Travel

And live

Abroad

There

I have

Ambitions

For career

And business

I want

To make

A profit

God

And other

People

Were nowhere

In the picture

Now let's

Consider our

Own plans

And goals

Are they

Centered

On ourselves

On our own

Desires

And our own

Ambitions

Is God

In the center

Of the picture

Or is God

Only on the

Periphery

Or not even

Really in the

Picture

What about

Other people

What about

Other people

Who God

Has put

Around you

Even people

Who God

Has given you

A responsibility

To love

And care for

You know

According to

The Bible

Self-actualization

Is not the

Ultimate goal

Of life

It's far

More about

Coming to

Love God

And love

Our neighbors

And be the

People that

Christ is

Making us

To be

So as you

Make plans

And goals

Think about

These questions

Practically

What are your

Spiritual goals

For the next

Year

How are you

Seeking to

Grow in the

Knowledge and

Love of

God

Now that's

Something that

No earthly

Circumstance

Can ultimately

Hinder

God's work

In us

Through his

Spirit

Second

How can

You grow

In love

For other

People

Let's say

You know

If you run

A business

Right

This passage

Is sort of

Slanted toward

People who run

Businesses

Right

Merchants

In the

Ancient

World

What does

It look

Like to

Serve your

Customers

And your

Employees

Despite the

Challenges that

The pandemic

Presents

Or if

You're a

Student

Or an

Employee

What is

How can

You love

And serve

Your fellow

Students

Your employer

And the

People that

You are

And your

Customers

People you're

Responsible to

Serve and

Care for

Have you

Submitted your

Plans and goals

To the Lord

In prayer

Right

That's a good

Place to start

Because when we

Give our plans

And goals to the

Lord in prayer

God starts to

That's one way

That God starts

To put in us

Godly desires

And godly

Ambitions

And he starts

To reshape

Things around

What he is

Wanting to do

With us

Which will

Ultimately be

Far more

Valuable

And far more

Lasting than

Just what we

Come up with

On our own

So that's the

First instruction

To follow

Don't boast

In arrogance

Instead plan

With humility

Then

Verse 17

We come to

The second

Instruction to

Follow

As we come

To the conclusion

Of this passage

Don't be

Paralyzed by

Anxiety

Instead act

With courage

Whoever knows

The right thing

To do

Or knows

The good

That he can

Do

And fails

To do it

For him

It is sin

Now on first

Glance

This saying

Might seem

To come

Out of

Nowhere

Right

It doesn't

Seem immediately

Connected to

This discussion

About plans

And goals

And if the

Lord wills

To verses

13 and 16

But it creates

An important

Balance

Right

If verses

13 through 16

Warn us

Against the danger

Of arrogance

And presumption

Verse 17

Warns us

Against the danger

Of being

Controlled

Or paralyzed

By our anxiety

You see

Sin is not

Just doing

And saying

And thinking

Things that we

Shouldn't

It's also

Failing to do

The things

That God

Has given us

To do

Proverbs

3

27

Says

Don't

Withhold

Good

From those

To whom

It is

Due

When it

Is in

Your

Power

To act

Right

Think about

What James

Has said

Already

About what

True

Faith

In

Action

Looks

Like

Visiting

Orphans

And widows

In their

Affliction

Right

Caring

For the

Most

Vulnerable

Treating

All people

Fairly

And without

Partiality

James gave

An example

In chapter

Two

If you

See a

Brother or

Sister

In Christ

Who doesn't

Have enough

Food

Or clothing

Don't

Just pray

For them

Don't

Just wish

Them well

Make sure

Their needs

Are met

Right

Whether you

Do it

Or whether

You

Sound the

Alarm bell

And get

Other people

Involved

And get

Get the

Community

Involved

In caring

For each

Other

Right

And if we

Neglect to

Do

The things

That Jesus

Has instructed

Us to

Do

That is

Also

That

Can also

Be a

Form of

Sin

Right

Not

Not

Only

Doing the

Things

That we

Shouldn't

See I

Think today

There's a

Danger of

Arrogance

And presumption

Of acting

In selfish

And foolish

And short

Sighted

Ways

But there's

Also a

Danger of

Being paralyzed

By anxiety

And in

And in the

Process

Missing

Missing

The

Opportunities

God

Has

Given

Us

To do

Good

To the

Body

Of

Christ

And to

The

Surrounding

World

And to

Honor

His

Name

You know

So think

About what

Opportunities

Has God

Laid before

You in

This season

Now

Some of

Those

May involve

Some

Risk

And

If it

Involves

Risk

You need

To use

Your

Discernment

As we

Always

Must

About

What

Risks

Are worth

Taking

Not

Every

Risk

Is worth

Taking

And

Not

Everyone

Should

Take

The

Same

Risks

Again

In

A

Pandemic

Or

Otherwise

But

Here's

The

Thing

Sometimes

We

Hold

Back

From

Doing

Good

Not

Because

We

Thoughtfully

Assess

The

Risk

And

Discern

That

It's

Unwise

But

Simply

Because

The

Task

Is

Uncomfortable

And

Inconvenient

And

You know

I think

We

Over

The

Last

Few

Months

We've

Been

Trying

To

Navigate

This

Balance

As a

Church

Right

We

We

Want

To

Be

Careful

We

Don't

Want

To

Encourage

People

To

Take

Foolish

And

Unnecessary

Risks

At

The

Same

Time

We

Want

To

Be

Courageous

We

Want

To

Actively

Love

One

Another

And

Carry

Out

The

Mission

God

Has

Given

Us

Even

If

That

Is

More

Inconvenient

Than

Usual

One of

The

Resources

I

Have

Found

Most

Helpful

Over

These

Last

Few

Months

Is

A

Series

Of

Two

Articles

That

Were

Published

In

March

And

April

By

Andy

Crouch

And

His

Colleagues

They

Run

An

Organization

Called

Praxis

And

These

Articles

Are

Written

Especially

To

Business

And

Organizational

Leaders

But

I

Think

There's

Wisdom

In

Them

For

Everyone

But

Particularly

If

You're

In

A

Position

Of

Leadership

I

Would

Highly

Recommend

You

Read

These

Articles

But

Here's

A

Little

Excerpt

The

First

Article

Written

March

20

Began

This

Way

We're

Not

Going

Back

To

Normal

And

Right

Four

Months

Later

That's

Certainly

Right

Right

The

Coronavirus

Is

Not

Just

Something

For

Leaders

To

Get

Through

For

A

Few

Days

Or

Weeks

Instead

He

Wrote

We

Need

To

Treat

COVID

19

As

A

Change

That

Is

Like

To

A

To

Perhaps

One

To

Two

Years

Or

Even

More

And

The

Article

Continues

Christians

Of

All

People

Are

Equipped

To

Face

The

Current

Reality

With

Both

Clear

Eyed

Realism

And

Unparalleled

Hope

We

Are

All

Operating

With

Profound

Uncertainty

Not

Only

About

The

Future

But

Even

About

The

Present

But

We

Have

Confidence

That

Jesus

Is

Lord

That

His

Spirit

Is

Even

Now

Working

Powerfully

In

All

Of

Our

Lives

And

That

God

Is

Good

This

Time

Can

Be

A

Moment

Of

Amazing

Creativity

Though

Also

A

Time

Of

Unavoidable

Pain

And

Loss

Many

Resources

Are

Suddenly

Unavailable

To

Us

But

The

Most

Essential

Resource

Is

Still

Available

And

The

Most

Important

Reality

Has

Not

Changed

God

Has

Called

Us

To

A

Time

Like

This

He

Has

Given

Us

A

Mission

And

A

Community

To

Serve

Alongside

And

Our

Most

Important

Resource

In

Leading

Is

Trust

In

The

Context

Of

Love

Now

He

Goes

On

To

Give

Some

Practical

Thoughtful

Instructions

About

How

Business

And

Organizational

Leaders

Can

Navigate

This

Season

But

Here's

What

He

Says

At

The

End

Of

This

Article

Which

I

Think

Is

Applicable

To

Every

One

Of

Us

And

A

Question

We

Can

All

Be

Asking

Ourselves

A

Year

From

Now

Ten

Years

From

Now

You

Will

Think

Back

And

Ask

Yourself

These

Questions

Did

I

Do

My

Very

Best

To

Act

In

That

Time

Of

Crisis

Knowing

As

Little

As

I

Did

With

The

Resources

That

I

Had

And

Did

I

Love

And

Honor

My

Family

Friends

Neighbors

Coworkers

And

Customers

He

Writes

Your

Organization

Will

Survive

This

Season

Or

It

Won't

That

Is

No

Prescription

For

Apathy

Or

Passivity

It

Is

A

Green

Light

Of

Freedom

To

Take

Action

Things

God

Will

Accomplish

His

Purposes

And

Has

Actively

Placed

You

In

Your

Position

Brothers

And

Sisters

God

Has

Brought

Us

To

Such

A

Time

As

This

By

His

Grace

May

We

Plan

With

Humility

And

May

We

Act

With

Courage

Let's

Pray

Father

Thank

You

For

These

Words

From

James

Thank

You

For

How

Direct

And

Clear

Both

His

Warnings

And

His

Encouragements

Are

Thank

You

That

You

Do

Not

Want

Us

To

Live

In

Denial

Thank

You

That

Your

Word

Confronts

Us

With

Truth

Even

When

It

Is

Uncomfortable

But

Thank

You

For

The

Reassurance

That

Our

Lives

Are

In

Your

Hands

We

Pray

That

You

Would

Enable

Us

To

Walk

With

Humility

And

With

Courage

In

This

Season

And

For

The

Rest

Of

Our

Lives

That

You

Have

Given

Us

On

This

Earth

We

Pray

All

These

Things

In

Jesus

Name

Amen