Cap's Corner: It's not the time for fear, it's the time for faith

by Cap McIlnay

My wife came across the song “See A Victory” by the group Elevation Worship. I asked her to forward it to me after I heard it. Then, I played it on repeat as I wrote this week’s article.

We are in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, and we are witnessing fear grip not just our nation, but the world at large. My soul yearns to push back against this fear and to replace it with hope, light, and a future.

As I was listening to this song, I heard the words my soul wanted to express. Using this song as my motivation, I pray I have written an article that helps some find peace were there was fear, and hope replacing the feeling of powerlessness.

This song reminded me that WE WILL SEE A VICTORY in the name of JESUS. There is power in the name of Jesus for those that believe. I am writing to you to remind you how God again and again remained faithful in the Bible. I am writing to you, hoping to remind you how God has been faithful in your life.

This is not the end for us. Many lives have fallen to the coronavirus, but we as a society will survive quite well. One day in our future, there will be a time and a day when we as a society, and as a nation, will fall. But this is not that day! This is not that time!

This might be a time of darkness – a darkness that is exasperated by our isolation. However, this is but for a short time. Not only will we see that we will get through this together, but we will see where God will use this for good!

Why can I sit here and write such words of hope and of fearlessness? Because I know our God. Our God is a God of triumph. He is a good, good Father, and He is our Lord and Savior who has already won the war. We have already won the war even in the midst of this battle! We have already won the war even in the midst of this darkness! We have already won the war, not because of anything we have done, but because of what Jesus has done.

We can allow this time to shape us, or we can shape this time. Let us throw off all of our fears, and replace them with peace. I am not talking about being foolish, or ignoring the precautions that our local, state, and federal government has recommended for us, but that does not mean we have to live in fear. I cannot help but hear FDR’s speech when he stated, “There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.”

We’ve got this, because our faith understands that God has this. We are not fighting alone, because we have never been alone.

So let us stop living in fear, and start living in faith. Open your windows on the nice days. Spend time in the yard, in the sun, and in the fresh air. Wave at your neighbors as you see them. Be nice and encourage each other on Facebook and in any other way we can still communicate with each other. Wake up each day thanking God for this day, thanking God for all of those who are working this day. And if given the chance, thank all of those that work in any of the medical fields. They are fighting this battle, for they are in the trenches, and it is there, in those trenches, where we will find the medical miracle that God will bring to and for us.

God did not create the coronavirus, but He will allow us to see His glory through it, for those who depend on God, whose faith will give them the eyes to see, and the ears to hear. Instead of words of fear, let us start lifting up words of praise, words of prayers, and words of life giving. God shaped this universe with words, surly we can shape this time with words as well.

No, this is not the time that will shape us, but a time that we will shape! No, this is not the time for darkness, but at time of light! No, this is not the time of hopelessness, but a time of great hope!

No, this is not the time for fear, it is the time for FAITH!