I get it. The masks are choking, the isolation of working remotely can be oppressive, and hybrid work or even new hybrid church conditions can be frustrating. There is no “new” normal because nothing is normal anymore.

It’s the same when you’re dealing with a difficult situation or an extended illness or news that just seems to heavy to bear. It can be suffocating and frustrating all at the same time as you desperately try to maneuver your way through the difficult terrain.

It’s easy to allow yourself to be swallowed up and join the crowd of people just trying to survive, day by day… not knowing what’s on the other side but knowing that’s something’s got to break. It’s a depressing way to live.

And then there’s joy.

Can you hear the apostle Paul saying it? “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:2 NLT)

To be fair, he was speaking to believers who were going through intense persecution for their faith. But your situation may be just as intense -- and it’s a good reminder for all of us as we work through the challenge of the pandemic and the uncertainties of day-to-day life as we emerge.

How can we connect to that joy? By praising our way through these uncertain times, by acknowledging -- even in the midst of your crisis -- the goodness and safety and protection of the Lord. By running into his presence, his high tower, his open arms.

And as you praise, there is a strength that will fill your very being. You will be able to face uncertainty and proclaim that our God reigns. Truly, the joy of the Lord will be your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

And if you are strong, you can be a source of strength for someone else, for someone who hasn’t yet found that secret safe place of the Lord…

… The neighbor who’s afraid to go to the grocery store, the coworker who’s been laid off and doesn’t know how she’ll pay her mortgage, the family member who just received bad news from the doctor or the friend who just found out they’ve been exposed to a variant of COVID.

You see, we are the ones called to lift up a light in the darkness. We are the ones called to be a beacon of hope in troubled times, calling others to join us in this secret, safe place of God.

As you run to the high tower of God, I pray you’ll bring others with you.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10) 

A prayer: God, I praise you. I thank you for your joy that strengthens me in uncertain times. Help me to be a beacon of hope for others. I declare that in you, I am strong, I am balanced, I am safe. Amen.

Scriptures to go deeper: Psalm 46:10-11, Psalm 4:6-7