A Pandemic of Fear: 4 Coronavirus Fears and How to Beat Them

The fear finally got to me. By the grace of God, I’d had His peace through trusting on Him during most of the COVID-19 news and developments. Even the threat of I or my loved ones getting the disease didn’t faze me—I knew our fate is always in God’s hands anyway.

But when I learned I and my family may not be able to get essentials we needed—like medications and other things essential for health and comfort—anxiety started to take hold of my heart.

It’s funny how I can trust in God for some things—even really big things—and fail to have faith with other, sometimes smaller matters.

Each of us have chinks in our spiritual armor, spots of vulnerability where fear can penetrate and take control over us. The COVID-19 crisis finds all those weak points, making us cave to our fears and let anxiety and worry dictate how we live right now.

But the Lord calls us to freedom from fear, even in a pandemic. Especially in hard times when the rest of the world is giving in to terror, Christians can and must live free from fear, showing the world the power and peace we have in Christ.

How do we do that? Let’s break down the four fears that seem most common in response to COVID-19 and explore the truth we can wield to beat them.

4 COVID-19 FEARS (AND HOW TO BEAT THEM)

1. DEATH

This is probably the number one fear that reared its ugly head for most people when they realized COVID-19 was a real problem that could lead to their own death. Suddenly, people who lived as though they weren’t going to die had to face the truth.

They are going to die. And maybe sooner than they thought.

The truth is all of us will physically die at some point. COVID-19 hasn’t introduced a new concept—or at least, it shouldn’t be new.

People who reject Jesus Christ and the Gospel have reason to fear death. In fact, they should be good and scared of it. Because death for them will mean entering an eternity of separation from God, which means torment, suffering, and constant misery in hell.

But there is hope for anyone who doesn’t want such a dreadful future. Eternal punishment in hell is what we all deserve for our sins—the wrongs we have done that we cannot possibly make right. Those wrongs need to be paid for by someone, or justice won’t be done. But they need to be paid for by someone perfect, someone who doesn’t have any sins of his own to pay for.

That someone is Jesus Christ. He came to earth to live a perfect life, and He died on the cross to pay for the sins of each of His chosen children—those who come to Him in repentance and faith, trusting in His sacrifice to pay for our sins.

If you’ve repented of your sins to God and have asked Christ to save you, then you no longer need to fear death.

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

– 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

If you belong to Christ, your future looks completely different. When you pass from this world, you will enter into an eternity of perfect happiness, joy, and peace in the presence of God. A place where there is no more sorrow and no more fear—even of a virus.

If you’re already a Christian, then join me in living like one during this time and every day, no matter what comes.

Pastor John Piper put death brilliantly in perspective during a podcast episode, in which he said of the Christian, “You are immortal until God’s work for you is done.”

Even if you catch COVID-19 and it looks like the virus will take your life, you can rest assured your life has not been cut short.

A virus hasn’t ruined God’s plan. It’s part of His plan.

You CANNOT die one second before you are supposed to.

And when that time God has appointed for our physical death arrives, we have no reason to fear.

As pastor Derek Thomas said about the prospect of dying from COVID-19, “I would see Jesus.”

That’s a very good thing.

2. A LOVED ONE’S DEATH

Maybe you’re a Christian and you know your destiny is better than anything this world can offer, so you’re not afraid of your own death. But worry about your loved one’s potential death is the fear that has your stomach tied in knots.

Jesus said,

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

– Matthew 6:27

This rhetorical question points out the obvious. Worry doesn’t add any time to our lives, and it doesn’t add any time to a loved one’s life either. As we discussed above, God has already scheduled out the days of each of our lives, your loved one included.

The one you love won’t die before he or she is supposed to and won’t live longer than God has planned. Worrying won’t change a thing.

But what is important is making sure that loved one comes to Christ before it is too late. Share the good news of salvation and a secured future with your loved one.

And if your loved one belongs to Jesus, then rest in His peace that passes all understanding, knowing He has guaranteed a glorious future for the one you love.

3. BASIC NEEDS

I admit I’m used to a life of privilege. I’m used to being able to have all my basic needs provided for and have a lot of extra on top of the essentials.

If you’re anything like me, and perhaps most Americans, the sudden realization that we may not be able to obtain even what we need may frighten you too.

Panic and hoarding (both fear-run-wild problems) have caused much of the sudden scarcity, but quarantines and illness have had an effect too, and may continue to do so.

The day when this kind of fear gripped my heart, God gave me victory and released me from fear’s hold through this powerful promise:

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:31-33

Isn’t this incredible? God isn’t downplaying our needs and telling us to just get over it. He’s acknowledging we have basic needs. After all, He’s the one Who made us to have such needs.

But He’s also promising that He has those needs covered. We don’t need to worry or fret. In fact, we are told not to. Instead, all we need to focus on is seeking first to live and work for God’s kingdom, striving to be like Him in righteousness and truth.

That day I was panicking, this is what I needed to hear. I needed to remember where to focus—not on my worry about my needs, but on God and living for Him.

I can speak from experience that you’ll love the feeling of freedom and peace you’ll get when the anxiety of needing to provide for yourself and others is lifted as you trust God and focus on seeking righteousness today instead.

4. ECONOMIC CRISIS

As I watch the emphasis placed on stopping the spread of COVID-19 through cities and states implementing lock downs, I can easily fall into worry about the economy.

I worry about the business owners who will have to close permanently. I worry about the employees who have been laid off and the many more who likely will be in the days to come. I’m especially concerned for those who live paycheck to paycheck and are now in need of food, clothing, and mortgage payments or rent to keep a roof over their heads.

The economic repercussions, on the personal and national level, are likely to be dire now and increasingly into the future.

But guess Who is in charge of our economic conditions too?

He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. – Job 12:23

God is in complete control of nations, prospering them and even destroying them to bring about His perfect plan.

And, as we’ve already seen, He is in control of meeting the basic needs of individuals, as well.

Times of economic crisis bring out the greed in many people. We’ve already seen some of that with hoarding of items everyone needs.

But greed and love of money leads to more fear and unrest.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. – 1 Timothy 6:10

We as Christians know why we don’t need to depend on money for our survival and happiness:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

Jesus once sent out His disciples to do His work with no money, and these were the results:

And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” – Luke 22:35

When our aim is serving Christ and putting all our hope in Him, we will be able to say the same.

Are you anxious because of COVID-19 or some effect of the pandemic? Has God calmed your COVID-19 fears? Please share, and let’s build each other up in this time with courage and faith!

Photos by Brian McGowan, Claire Mueller, René Molenkamp, Michael Amadeus, and Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash. Original graphics designed by Jerusha Agen.