SOUL'S ANTHEM (Personal Reflection)

Teach me how to love You

Show me how to trust You

More than with my words or with a song

No, it's not been easy

To live life down on my knees

But with faith I know I'll carry on

There is more to see than with my eyes

But fear sometimes can leave me paralyzed

I realize that I'm not in control

Yet it is well with my soul

The enemy's against me

Arrows all around me

Never knew the fight would last so long

In seasons of depression

I plead for Your protection

Make me right, I'm tired of being wrong

Every time there's hope, it seems to die

And the voices all around me feed that lie

Everything I see tells me to let go

Yet it is well with my soul

It is well (it is well)

With my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul

It is well (it is well)

With my soul (with my soul)

Oh, it is well, it is well with my soul

This fight I'm in is not of flesh and blood

The weapons that I need are in Your love

Lord, don't You ever let me go

You make it well with my soul

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All things considered, "Soul's Anthem," by Tori Kelly, is an appropriate song of inspiration for this week's personal reflection. It is a contemporary adaptation of the famous hymn, "It is well with my soul," which challenges us to rise above the ashes and trust in God's sovereignty, which is quite timely considering the pandemic impacting our world right now. As coronavirus (Covid-19) continues to expand across the globe into our respective communities, many people are either paralyzed with fear, worry, doubt and anxiety over what the future holds, or completely dismissive of its fatal risk altogether. Regardless of what side of the argument we find ourselves, there is no denying Covid-19 is a silent killer and incredibly dangerous if contracted. Like cancer, Covid-19 does not discriminate either by who it infects or how it chooses to expand and morph itself into something greater. Therefore, how should we respond? From a secular perspective, the widespread panic and paranoia we are witnessing is understandable. For without saving grace through faith in Christ, how can anyone anticipate judgment day without complete dread and terror? "They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (2 Thessalonians 1:9). There is undoubtedly fear and trepidation facing billions of people, eliciting overwhelming pursuits of self-preservation and rationing of food and supplies to endure the pandemic. However, Biblical perspective challenges us to embrace social responsibility while continually trusting God's sovereignty. As Christians, our life's purpose is to share the Gospel with those who lack eternal hope in Jesus for salvation, which should compel us to do everything we can to physically protect those around us through self-quarantine efforts and serving others. Through social responsibility we increase our opportunity to love and encourage others through evangelistic efforts, which allows us to not only help save lives physically, but more importantly, spiritually. 

In the midst of utter catastrophe in his life, Job cried out in lament, "For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes" (Job 3:25–26). How prophetic are his words considering the plight of our world during this pandemic, yet billions of souls across the globe are completely devoid of hope and destined for hell if we do not speak truth in love and practice what we preach. Their minds are not enlightened with God's Word because their hearts are hardened toward anyone who would attempt to share the Good News of Christ with them. Therefore, we must approach this moment with great wisdom and discernment, trusting in God's sovereignty like Esther once did, to destroy the schemes of the enemy despite risk of persecution we might endure as a result. "For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). I wonder how many of us view the coronavirus as a SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITY for evangelism though. Perhaps we're more concerned with the physical risk of self-exposure and contamination in our communities to step out in faith. In any case, Scripture teaches, "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil" (1 Peter 3:15–17). Therefore, whether we contract Covid-19 or indirectly expose ourselves to the virus without knowing it, we should always be prepared to share our personal testimony because the world is fading away around us regardless whether this virus is ultimately remedied or not.

"Teach me how to love You. Show me how to trust You, more than with my words or with a song. No, it's not been easy to live life down on my knees, but with faith I know I'll carry on. There is more to see than with my eyes, but fear sometimes can leave me paralyzed. I realize that I'm not in control yet it is well with my soul." The opening verses of "Soul's Anthem" are a sobering reminder that we are not far removed from the same stress the rest of society is experiencing. Consequently, our ability to empathize with their physical needs and emotional concerns allows us to speak truth in love by identifying our commonality with struggles. The main difference is Christ-followers should not be paralyzed with fear but content in God's sovereignty. What does that mean though? Trusting God as sovereign helps us understand He is ultimately in control, but there is a crucial element of belief which shifts God's sovereignty from Biblical, absolute truth to a personal decision of faith. In other words, God is sovereign regardless of our opinions or existence. But when we choose to accept His sovereignty as our personal doctrine, we are no longer held captive by fear or crippled with worry. Rather, we are set free from the enemy's stronghold and empowered to trust in the Lord despite the trials surrounding us. "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all" (1 Chronicles 29:11–12). Make no mistake, there is far more to see from God's perspective than our eyes will ever capture and countless opportunities to confess we are unable to control the future. However, we are empowered to proclaim despite the pandemic surrounding us, "It is well with my soul."

"The enemy's against me, arrows all around me, never knew the fight would last so long. In seasons of depression I plead for Your protection. Make me right, I'm tired of being wrong. Every time there's hope, it seems to die and the voices all around me feed that lie. Everything I see tells me to let go, yet it is well with my soul." It never ceases to amaze me how quickly we forget how dangerous our spiritual enemy truly is. "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). In many ways, life is so easy to take for granted and our world is receiving a sobering dose of reality concerning the fragility of our psyche today. Covid-19 is certainly a physical enemy we are wise to learn more about and guard against, but it pales in comparison to the true enemy of God who is using coronavirus as a flaming arrow of destruction within our minds. Paul wrote, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6–7). What that means is we are wise to not disregard coronavirus as a farce, conspiracy theory, or media hoax. Rather, we are taught to not be held captive by fear but encouraged to invest our time and energy in prayer for our concerns, and in praise for His sovereignty in the midst of our trial. When faced with a tangible enemy, we are more able to adapt to our surroundings and guard ourselves accordingly. However, that is not necessarily the case with Covid-19, nor is it ever the case spiritually with Satan roaming the earth seeking souls to devour. Therefore, embracing God's sovereignty allows us to endure our pandemic season willfully, knowing the worst that can happen is virtually insignificant compared to the price Jesus paid on the cross for our salvation.

"It is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul." What a simple proclamation of faith in the midst of immense trial! That was the confession of Horatio Spafford, who though stricken with the death of his toddler son and personally devastated financially by the Chicago fire of 1871, suffered even greater loss when all four of his daughters perished in a maritime catastrophe on the Atlantic Ocean in 1873. Spafford experienced unfathomable loss none of us could possibly imagine, yet found courage when passing by the location of his daughters peril, to write the famous chorus, "It is well with my soul." Only by the grace of God and indwelling of the Holy Spirit could a man utter such words of faith in the midst of complete disaster (something Job could empathize with). Spafford's proclamation of faith echoes another famous quote, written by King David. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). David essentially lived his life (when Saul reigned) with a death warrant hanging over his head at every turn, yet his trust in God's sovereignty, like that of Horatio Spafford, never waned. Why? In many ways, both men lived by a simple mantra of faith and trust in God's sovereignty which Paul echoed in his letter to the Roman church: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Granted, holding firm to our faith in the midst of trial does not promise earthly comfort or prosperity. Rather, enduring trials conforms us to the image of Christ and deeper intimacy with our Father in heaven.

"This fight I'm in is not of flesh and blood. The weapons that I need are in Your love. Lord, don't You ever let me go. You make it well with my soul." I love how the lyrics of this song shift from prayer supplication to faith proclamation. That is an important takeaway we need to be reminded of during trials. Yes, we must offer our prayer requests to the Lord, but we must take our thoughts captive by faith knowing the Lord will hear our cry and meet our needs according to His will, timing and purpose, NOT OURS. That is the true essence of God's sovereignty, exemplified by Jesus mere hours before He was ultimately executed for the sins of mankind. "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42). I find the lyric, "The weapons that I need are in Your love," so incredibly powerful if we reflect on the armor of God. Scripture teaches that our heavenly Father equips His children with various weapons to guard and protect against spiritual warfare. However, what cannot be missed is that each piece of armor is an extension of God's unconditional love for us, which sustains us in the battle and allows us to defeat our enemy. "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:14–17). That is why we can proclaim how faithful the Lord has been to us because He has not forgotten our plight nor forsaken or left us incapacitated to endure Satan's attacks. "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).

Ultimately, whatever comes of the Covid-19 pandemic in our world is meaningless if it does not drive us to self-examine our eternal destination and that of those around us. For whether we contract the virus or not, our response to the opportunity God has laid before us is a measure of faith, first and foremost. Just as in the case of Job, God does not tempt us to deny Him in trial, but allows tests of faith to enter our lives for the purpose of sanctification. That is why we are encouraged, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12). How we respond to coronavirus or any other trial for that matter is a decision of faith and trust in God's sovereignty, but more so a litmus test regarding whether God is truly sovereign in our hearts as well. Therefore, we must examine ourselves and confess to what extent we rely on self-preservation when fears overcome us, for trials will inevitably reveal our true, spiritual temperature whether we like it or not. "Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known" (Luke 12:2). Granted, it is never easy to admit how lazy we've become in our spiritual disciplines or how often we've left our spiritual armor hanging in the closet while we go through our days in the comfort of our own clothes. The truth is we are often held captive by the unknown despite how Jesus taught us to live. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:34). Bottom-line, the sooner we learn to trust God's sovereignty, the easier it will be to embrace whatever trials lie ahead. But the sooner we allow God to reign sovereign in our hearts, the more empowered we will be to not only endure the pandemic surrounding us, but use it as an opportunity to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to countless souls destined for eternal separation from God. Therefore, may we all proclaim, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling" (Psalm 46:1–3).