What can Christians do to give their children and grandchildren reassurance that God is still in control, even during the coronavirus crisis pandemic and possible recession?
Limit the News
It seems everywhere you go and look and listen, there’s nothing but bad news, and it seems to grow worse every day, so what can Christians do or say to their children and grandchildren to reassure them that God is still in control, even during the coronavirus crisis pandemic and possible recession? Children that are old enough to understand the serious nature of the coronavirus might wonder about their own future, not to mention their parents, grandparents and brothers and sisters. Today, there is nothing but waves of bad news continually being beamed into our homes on TV and the Internet, and it certainly impacted our world, and in many ways. Looking at the stock market, there certainly isn’t any confidence in the future, so where is our confidence and where is our children’s confidence? Where is it placed, or rather, in Whom is it placed? Even though your children might not express it, they must know something bad is going on. Like most of us, we’ve never seen anything affect our world like this…not in our lifetimes (for most), so what are parents supposed to do or say to their children who might have anxiety about the world tomorrow?
With the Word
The Bible says that there is power in the Word of God, and it will accomplish what God sets it out to do (Isaiah 55:11). Even the power of the gospel to save is in His Word (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). We have no such power to save, but we do have the power of words to reassure our children about the times we are in. The Word shows that God has not lost control of events, but everything that He has purposed is going to occur, just as He purposed it to do. Only God is “declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose” (Isaiah 46:10). This means we can trust God with the present and with the future, since He knows every detail. Tell your children that “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11), and we might think we’re in control of things, but God’s Word says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand” (Prov 19:21). To me, those verses are good news and we can use some good news today. Our counsel could fall in hard times, but God’s “counsel shall stand” and He says, “I will accomplish all my purpose,” and part of that purpose is bringing His children into the kingdom…and nothing or no one can prevent that (Rom 8:37-39). Allow the children to be exposed to verse like John 10:28-20 and 11:25-26. Children crave and need reassurance during uncertain times like these, so let the Word of God dwell in them richly and they will have an anchor for their souls amidst a hurricane of events.
With Prayer
Maybe you could look up some great prayers in the Bible. Places like 2 Chronicles 7 and Matthew 6:9-13 show us not only what to pray but how to pray. When we pray to God, we show we trust God, otherwise we would not be coming to Him and be praying, so let your children see you and maybe even hear you pray. I’m not saying pray just to be seen by your children, but let them know that when we can do nothing more, we can pray to our God Who can do all things (Phil 4:13). Our trust is in Him. Let them see that trust…allow them to feel that trust, and let them watch you read the Word of God and comment on verses where God promises to never leave us or forsake us, no matter what happens (Heb 13:5).
It’s a good time to remind them of what God has done in the past…and I’m not talking about parting the Red Sea (which is fine, of course), but in your lives, remind them of the times when God has been faithful and seen them thru trials. Tell them of the times He brought them through times of adversity and He will do this again. If nothing else, they must know that God is faithful. And, He is trustworthy, meaning we can trust Him with the unseen future because God’s already been around the blind-corners of times. He will be there waiting for us when the future gets here, because He will always be with us in the present.
Conclusion
I would limit the amount of time that your children, grandchildren, or foster children are exposed to the news. All of the bad news reports can make them think that there is nothing but bad in this world, and we know that’s not true. The Body of Christ, the church, is working (Matt 25:35-36) and praying for and witnessing (Matt 28:18-20) to a lost and dying world. Now is the time to share Christ. Tomorrow may be too late (2 Cor 6:2). Jesus is returning again to judge the world in righteousness (Rev 20:12-15), and without His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21), no one will never enter the kingdom. Pray that God brings people to repentance during these times of uncertainty. Pray that they might seek God for the very first time and place to their trust in Christ. There is nothing greater than this that could ever come out of such bad. Just like the cross…many have received eternal life at Christ’s expense. Have you?
Here is some related reading for you: Is Fear a Sign of the Second Coming of Jesus?
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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