I am not afraid; are you? I am certainly sobered and even surprised by the events of 2020, but I am not afraid. The reason that I am not afraid is because there is absolutely no fear in me.
"For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control" (2 Tim. 1:7).
I believe with my whole heart that God is doing something that is so astounding and so powerful behind the scenes that the angels in heaven are breathless with anticipation. I know that what the enemy has meant for evil, our faithful Father will certainly use for good.
I believe that in the midst of the pandemic, the fallen economy and the painful racial divide that God is doing what He does best—He is restoring, redeeming and rescuing. I have often wondered over the past five months if the circumstances that have paralyzed this nation have actually served as "the kick in the pants" that the church in America has needed.
It has been crucial for us, as the body of Christ in America, to get out of the rut of comfortable living. Perhaps it has been necessary to stop trusting in programs, buildings or light displays to reach a generation.
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God" (Ps. 20:7).
Maybe we have needed to pray, like Jesus prayed, "Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42b).
There is no fear in my heart but there is a grand anticipation of all that God will do in the coming days. I wonder what red sea will be parted, what lion's mouth will be closed and who will be raised from the dead. I wonder what relationship will be restored, what body will be healed and what prodigal will return home.
The truth is that these are not unprecedented times. Perhaps they are unprecedented for this generation, but they are not unprecedented in history. There have been other times when a plague has threatened to kill a population, when the unemployment rate has skyrocketed and when there was an angry divide between two people groups. In those historical days of cruelty and human suffering, God always had a people who prayed faithfully, loved unconditionally and sang victoriously. God always had a people who believed in His power during the worst days of life.
The lyrics to a hymn written nearly 350 years ago have become the anthem of my life in the year 2020, "Ponder anew, what the Almighty can do!"
In times like these, we need to remember who God is and what He is capable of doing. As God's redeemed and power-filled children, we should be seeking His answers on our knees while serving others with our resources.
We should be His voice of encouragement during the dark days of 2020; we should be loving the people under our watch, praying for our leaders and expecting a miracle!
It is time for the body of Christ to lift their eyes to the one who holds the whole world in His very capable and loving hands.
"To You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens" (Ps. 123:1). 
Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical, biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. Carol has written 11 books, including Significant, StormProof and Guide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman's Heart won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming.
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