Rock Solid Principles
Living in Alabama, we have become accustomed to storms in the Spring, they come quickly and disappear in the same manner. However, the current storm of an unwanted virus was unexpected and lingers, disrupting almost everything.
As much as we were caught off guard, God was not, and we, Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus, hold on to the hope of His power, wisdom, and peace.
A pastor in our state, Chris Hodges addressed his congregation, Church of the Highlands this week, giving them some wise counsel on how to weather our current virus storm. (You can watch the sermon here.)
Below is an outline of his talk with a few interjections, explanations, and how we can stand firm on these foundations on Brindlee Mountain.
Things we have lost due to COVID-19
Connections - the physical connections with friends and family
Structures - school, work at the office, church
Control - at the moment there are many things which were once in our control that are not now
Typical Responses to Crisis in our lives
Fight - attempt to push against the circumstances, which could lead us to fighting with each other or against things we cannot change
Flight - run from the circumstances, even ignore them as if nothing has changed
Freeze - feel paralyzed by what is going on around us and then just sit and do nothing
But, we believe our foundation is in God and the promises of His word. In Matthew 7:24-27, we find the story of the two homes, one destroyed by a storm the other stands firm. The difference is where the owners had laid the foundation.
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words (the scriptures) of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock(our Rock is Jesus). 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Rock Solid Principles (foundations) to Stand On During Crisis
Communicate clearly, intentionally, and often.
An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing. Proverbs 13:17
Communication among each other, family, friends do not need to stop, but we may have to be creative in our execution. As reliant as we are on digital communication, it may be time to revert to a phone call, making a more personable connection. No matter the communication tool we need to:
Be empathetic
Be frequent
Be simple and clear
Be honest
Be hopeful
Be faith-filled
"Fear is reality minus God; Faith is reality plus God."
Create new structures and new routines
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. Proverbs 29:18
Routines have shifted, and some eliminated, but during this time, set new routines, it can produce a' new' feeling of normal. In fact, this forced new normal may help us establish better routines for the future.
Guard your mind
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23
While it may be easy to allow unfamiliar voices to occupy what we hear. Now is the time to be
Careful how much news you watch
Careful what other inputs you allow to take space in your mind
This could be a productive time where we allow more productive inputs to fill our thoughts
Focus on what I can control
Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise. Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. Proverbs 6:6-11
It can seem that we have lost control of many areas of our life, jobs, home routines, where we eat, where we go, who we can meet but we can control
When we get up,
iI we make our bed,
When we start to work
What things we get accomplished around the house
How we spend our time
etc.
Remember the bigger picture
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. Jeremiah 29:11-12
God was not surprised by our circumstances of yesterday, today, or tomorrow. Today He is the same God of our past, and He will not change.
Our role as a company is to glorify God, make much of Him in everything we do. That mission has not changed. Stay with us on this journey of glorifying God, and during this time, let's lean in so that all will know our foundation is on the Solid Rock.