In the wonderful world of cyber communication, meetings, messaging, and all the social media we get the opportunity to visit with people from all over the place.  Which is good and somewhat fascinating.  I had a friend from a past church ministry contact me the other day and I made the comment that I prayed he and his family were doing well through the insanity of the present circumstances.  I do pray for people to not fall prey to chaos, fear, weariness and the like, but this friend responded differently.  Here is his response:

 “It’s not insanity! It’s all according to plan! A deeper reliance on the Lord, more intentional faith in His guidance and provision. Time to spend in His  word, and so many opportunities to share the hope we have. I personally  find these to be exciting times as a Christian, seeing prophecies coming  true.”

How upbeat can a believer get?  It challenged me to say, “what insanity?” too!  (However, I still think the run on toilet paper was and remains insane!)  But this is the very attitude I need to have to find greater joy in the grace of following Jesus!

The encouraging things about Jesus we believe, and the Christ-like attitudes we try to convey to others are sometimes subdued under the weight of frustration and weariness, I know, it happens to me.  But I don’t think frustration and weariness need to weigh down my thinking, my spirit, or my resolve to be joyful and upbeat.  Like my friend, I must look at the circumstances with the Spirit’s perspective.  The Spirit’s perspective places more focus on God’s sovereign work through these days and gives me reason to have an ‘upbeat’ outlook on the great things God is doing and will do through it all.  Upbeat followers of Jesus could become an epidemic to which God’s Spirit could turn it into a pandemic!  Imagine a world of upbeat followers of Jesus, excited for His work and His return. It is possible, but it must start somewhere, so do you want to be an upbeat proclaimer of hope and the start of an Jesus filled pandemic?

“Now may the God of hope fill you

with all joy and peace as you believe

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13