Peace Over Panic: Trusting God in Uncertain Times

You know how, at the beginning of a new year, we tend to make fresh plans—what we’ll eat, where we’ll go, what we’ll do, who we’ll connect with (or stop connecting with). As homeschoolers, that often includes planning new lessons, projects, field trips, or extracurriculars. We’ve all experienced times when plans don’t go as expected.

Usually, it's no big deal—we just reschedule. Maybe once, maybe twice. And eventually, the plans happen. But in recent weeks, many of our plans haven’t just been delayed—they’ve come to an indefinite halt.

As the coronavirus entered the U.S. and began spreading like wildfire, it seemed like everything unraveled minute by minute. It wasn’t a slow trickle. No—“torn away” feels more accurate. First, sports were canceled. Then group gatherings. Beaches shut down. Cities implemented quarantines. Businesses closed their doors. Jobs were lost. The uncertainty has been overwhelming—mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually.

We’re left wondering what tomorrow will bring. The media says one thing, the government says another, and our minds are spinning, trying to make sense of the chaos that one tiny virus has caused. A few decades ago, C.S. Lewis wrote about a very different moment in history, yet his words still speak powerfully to our current situation. If you simply replace “atomic bomb” with “coronavirus” and “atomic age” with “pandemic,” the message remains just as relevant today.

"​In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.” In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty. This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds." -"On Living in an Atomic Age" (1948)

I recently came across a comment on social media after churches began closing due to quarantine. Someone claimed that closing churches was a sign of weak faith—that if we truly trusted God, we wouldn’t shut our doors.

I don’t agree with that. God gave us minds to think and wisdom to use. He calls us to be good stewards of the life He’s given us—and to care for the lives of others. Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Being cautious and protecting others from harm isn’t a lack of faith—it’s an expression of love.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. -Matthew 22:36-39

Loving your neighbor can also mean choosing not to expose others needlessly to a contagion. If it’s our time to go, it won’t necessarily be because of a virus—just as we don’t know the day or the hour of Jesus’ return, we also don’t know when we’ll take our final breath. God calls us to respect and submit to our governing authorities—so long as they’re not leading us into sin. Closing the doors of a church building doesn't mean the Church has closed. The Church is not a building—it’s the body of believers. And in today’s world, we’re blessed with technology that allows us to gather virtually. Whether through livestreams, video recordings, or conference calls, we are still meeting.

In fact, with social media, we have more opportunities than ever to share our faith. Many of us have unbelieving friends, and when we post sermons, Scripture, or words of encouragement, we’re giving them a daily glimpse of Jesus—right on their feed. That’s not a lack of faith. That’s faith in action.

Even in Scripture, God commanded His people to isolate for a time. In Isaiah, He said:

Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by. For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain. - Isaiah 26:20-21

By doing so, we’re not running away—we’re walking in wisdom. Even in quarantine, believers are called to continue living faithfully. Choosing peace over panic is a powerful witness to the world around us.

Of course, we’re human, and staying calm isn’t always easy. In those moments, we need to draw nearer to God—to seek His peace, His strength, and His courage as we walk through uncertain times.

I truly hope this post encouraged someone today. My intention is never to offend, but simply to share what’s on my heart. I pray my words were clear and received with grace.

May you and your families be safe, and may God bless you richly.