Peace in the Pandemonium
Currently, as I write these words, the world stands on the brink of socio-economic decay and panic. While I can offer no panacea to end the coronavirus pandemic, I can offer up a functional lesson from a beloved piece of literature.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s first installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, we find one of the main characters, Frodo Baggins, confronted with grim reality and his friend, Gandalf, consoles him regarding how to proceed:
“I wish it need not happen in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” [Fellowship of the Ring, 50].
The brief conversation in the fictional narrative is quite illuminating on how we can operate our lives against the backdrop of the present moment. Gandalf’s words of wisdom teach us this: we often cannot control our most current circumstances, but we can control ourselves.
Much like we cannot control a rainstorm that interrupts a sunny day, so too we cannot control disruptive events in life. But, we can control our minds and attitude. Thus, the old saying rings true: “do not let a downcast sky be the cause for a downcast spirit.”
For Frodo Baggins, a nice, quiet life in the Shire is no longer an option. What will he do now? Similarly, having been dislodged from an immensely comfortable life, how will I decide to navigate the unknown waters that lie before me? How will I act and respond amid all the worry and fear due to the coronavirus outbreak?
To answer this question I must turn to the Holy Scriptures, for there I believe I have found, for me at least, the encouragement and empowerment my soul needs for the present crisis.
In Paul’s epistle to the Philippian church, he instructs believers to rejoice always and to not be anxious, for the Lord is at hand; that they must go to God with prayer and thanksgiving; and what will follow is the peace of God [see Philippians 4:4–7]. It is a remarkable passage that teaches us three things:
- To have joy in a person, not favorable circumstances
- God is with us. He is not some distant spectator or indifferent bystander
- Prayer and thanksgiving are vital elements to having fellowship and communion with the God who loves and cares for us
The summation of it all is what I call “joyful trust.” This is what allows me to get through tough times. As I survey the Scriptures and church history, this motif of joyful trust is evident in the lives of men and women who have stood firm in the fierce frays of life.
I have been assured by others who accumulated a fair amount of grey hair and wisdom that the art of Christian life is trust. Anxiety, I am told, is the price tag we pay for trying to be our own higher power. Instead, we ought to hold the hand of the Prince of Peace, for by doing so there is no valley — no matter how dreary and dark it may seem — we cannot get through to the other side.
If we trust God with our eternity, how could we not trust Him with our temporary? Surely the coronavirus can be handled by a sovereign God who has also handled the salvation of His people. Is it not logical to trust God with the in-between? Will He not give us strength and peace to endure and to act with confidence when confronted with pandemonium?
Whether Christian or not, the question stands before us all: what will you decide to do with this time that has been given to you? I cannot answer this question for you, it is something you must investigate and conclude.
My recommendation is to simply consider the open hand God has extended in your direction. Take His hand and I doubt you shall be disappointed with the peace that follows.
