I Find Reading and Reflecting on Psalm 34 to be Very Comforting During This Coronavirus Crisis
Psalm 34 was one Psalm I thought was crazy because I was already having a faith crisis in God. While I was still a Roman Catholic nearly becoming an atheist (and I even considered converting to either Buddhism or Islam) - Psalm 34 just felt absurd. That was until I realized that having a heart that thanks God for the bad times and the good times is something. It's not that I should go out there and look for hardship. Rather, if God has a purpose for letting hardships happen then shouldn't it mean that I may have secret sins that I need to deal with? Job certainly got revealed of some tiny self-righteousness he didn't know was there. God used frequent chastising to set His wayward children back on track. You can see God punishing Jacob frequently but not Esau. God only disciplines His own while leaves those who aren't His to enjoy sinful pleasures until the right time.
I was reading through the Tecarta Bible application and the reading for the day was Psalm 34. The first verse really has me asking, "Am I thanking God only for the good times?" Job even said in Job 2:10 that should we receive only good but not evil. Psalm 119:71 says that it's good to be afflicted in order to learn God's statutes. Consider that that affliction of the flesh keeps one humble. I think that when God allows something like cholera during Charles H. Spurgeon's time or the Coronavirus crisis today - he has a good reason. Spurgeon saw God's purpose in allowing the cholera epidemic. When David penned it - he was trusting God had a purpose for his trials.
There are very taxing trials indeed. I could only say I've learned to complain less when I stop trying by myself and ask God for His grace. The government has a good reason to put in restrictions during the quarantine. One can consider the situation with Italy today vs. Germany (the place of Martin Luther). It saddens me to think of how many Italians today getting hit by the Coronavirus. Meanwhile, it's reported that Germany has low death rates from the Coronavirus. Meanwhile, Italy is already getting worse than China in terms of the Coronavirus case. Now, the U.S.A. may already be getting worse than Italy. Though, I feel Italy's case is already a sign that God is calling the Elect out of Babylon that they may not share in her plagues one day (Revelation 18:4).
I feel there's something good that came from the Coronavirus and why God allowed it. There's one comforting fact that before Satan can do anything that affects Christians - he must get God's permission first. I think Satan may be responsible for the Coronavirus but he can't release a single germ without God's permission. The hearts of people are getting revealed. Others are led to repentance while others still refuse to repent. Revelation 16 shows that the seven plagues are now devastating the Earth yet people wouldn't repent. I think accepting the mark of the Beast might be forgivable (though in no way does Dr. John F. MacArthur think it's okay to receive it like any other sin) but the big problem is that the people repented not. That is they continue to harden their hearts just like Pharaoh did in Exodus 7-12.
I just think about it that the more I start to see trials for what they are - the more I see it's for humbling. The fewer trials and failures I had - the more arrogant I become. Maybe, God has allowed me to fail more than once to humble me. Jesus allowed Peter to fail to humble him. Without Peter's failure, he would have continued to trust himself. Jesus wisely allowed Peter to fail. I believe the same is going for whatever crisis can happen at any time.
See also:
I feel there's something good that came from the Coronavirus and why God allowed it. There's one comforting fact that before Satan can do anything that affects Christians - he must get God's permission first. I think Satan may be responsible for the Coronavirus but he can't release a single germ without God's permission. The hearts of people are getting revealed. Others are led to repentance while others still refuse to repent. Revelation 16 shows that the seven plagues are now devastating the Earth yet people wouldn't repent. I think accepting the mark of the Beast might be forgivable (though in no way does Dr. John F. MacArthur think it's okay to receive it like any other sin) but the big problem is that the people repented not. That is they continue to harden their hearts just like Pharaoh did in Exodus 7-12.
I just think about it that the more I start to see trials for what they are - the more I see it's for humbling. The fewer trials and failures I had - the more arrogant I become. Maybe, God has allowed me to fail more than once to humble me. Jesus allowed Peter to fail to humble him. Without Peter's failure, he would have continued to trust himself. Jesus wisely allowed Peter to fail. I believe the same is going for whatever crisis can happen at any time.
See also: