Peace in the Chaos

Hello friends,

Today I will finish up with a three-part series by talking about peace in the midst of chaos. 

I don’t know how better to describe life in the US (and in the world) right now than to use the word “chaos.”  Headlines scream of hundreds of thousands of people being infected with the virus, not enough testing kits being available, death tolls rising by the hour, and people fighting for...you guessed it...toilet paper.  These are only a few examples of the living nightmare that is playing out before our very eyes. BUT those things might still seem “far away” to  some of you. What happens when the chaos hits closer to home?.

For me, my personal chaos started 15 days ago. That was day 1 of our quarantine and the day I thought I was catching a cold. Now, on day 15, 3 of the 4 of us have had COVID-like symptoms and we, basically, haven’t left the house since March 12th. I am 10 days into waiting for my test results and was told today that they may never come. Brandon was told that they “wouldn’t waste a test on him” and that we could and should both assume that we have the virus. Thankfully Sophie had mild symptoms and has completely recovered..

The chaos deepened on Thursday night when, suddenly, Brandon took a turn for the worse. His fever spiked, his chest tightened and his oxygen went down to 91%. While normally, 91% oxygen saturation is ok, we got word from a doctor, who is working many COVID cases. He said, with the virus, 90% or below is time to worry and time to act fast!!  I was terrified!  I was still running a fever of 100 and my husband potentially needed medical care quickly. I knew that my only option would be to call an ambulance. I was so relieved when, after a few hours, his oxygen went back up and his fever came down..

So what do we determine to do when chaos hits us, personally?  As some of you know, I struggle with anxiety. My mind has gone a million miles an hour about a hypothetical situation before I know what hit me. I worry about finances, my kids, my future, and my past, to name a few. So when COVID hit you would naturally think that my anxiety went through the roof, but it didn’t..

I heard a quote a few months ago that said: “God does not give hypothetical grace for hypothetical situations. He gives you the grace you need, right when you need it!”  Oh, how true this statement has proven to be over the past 5 months. The peace that passes understanding is supplied in the midst of the storm...not a moment before..

In the scripture John 16:33 Jesus is talking to his disciples about His death.  He says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  The word “peace” in this verse is the Hebrew word “shalom”. This is significant because it does not imply that we have peace in the absence of troubles. Instead, shalom conveys that “all is well” even during chaos!.

So during this uncertain time, I pray that you can find true peace in the one that knows the future and loves you deeply..

Kassy 

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