What is hope? Is it something we desire? Is it something that helps us to believe in something beyond yourself? Does it have power? How did you answer these? These are great questions that can lead us to something else called faith.
What is faith? Faith comes after you hope for something. It’s like that next big step and it always has “action” involved in it. You will be taking the action towards something, acting on a gut feeling, on a nudge, or prompting from something that is not just from you.
What is fear? Well, I know the power fear can hold over us. Fear leads to what if’s and that leads to PANIC, and panic is action but based on fear. I know what the fear factor many are playing on with the Coronavirus, and how things are currently escalating and will continue over the next 2–3 months. But, do you want to take Action toward fear or towards faith?
Fear combats hope and faith, so the last question is, which one are you going to choose?
Hope leads to good things, and faith takes the action to actually get there. We can have a perspective on life that will help give true faith in a Creator even more power than that of fear.
I believe in a loving Heavenly Father. I know the He sent His Son Jesus Christ to come and Atone for the sins of all of us so that as we choose to follow Him by following His commandments, we will return to live with Him again. So, because of my Faith, I don’t buy into the FEAR.
Do I want to take precautions? Sure. It’s pretty much the same common sense you do if you have any cold or flu illness. Wash, wash, wash your hands, cover sneezes and coughs, and if you feel sick stay home. This too shall pass. I hope we can remember these commonsense rules at all times. This virus is passed like thousands of others. So be cautious and keep washing, but please, don’t panic, or try to take advantage of the fear factor and scare others so that they rush to buy your products or services. As the saying goes “Keep Calm and Carry on!”
I have dealt with a lot of illnesses in our large family: Whooping cough, Chicken Pox, H1N1, Swine Flu, and Pneumonia. Did we self-quarantine? Yes. Did we take precautions? Yes! (All had shots for all of these diseases and yet, we still caught it). Where there damaging results, yes three now have asthma, and I have two deaf daughters because of H1N1. But did we despair? Never!
Many in my family could have died in all of these examples, but we did not doubt our Faith. We prayed, they were given priesthood blessings, and we used our faith in Heavenly Father to do all that we could so that we could continue to bless the lives of others.
Now, the FEAR factor was huge outside of my family! Many (because I am a teacher and I’m in the public eye) were terrified that I was going to infect their children. So, we did a self-quarantine. Was it tough to go without pay for those two weeks of work? Yes, but did God provide? Yes. Again, we had to go by Faith. Now here is something that is interesting.
As we shared our faith story about these events, some started to attend church more regularly. Some started to seek faith in something higher than themselves, and a few were baptized.
I share that for the fact that faith was stronger than the fear. Really it comes down faith or fear. Which is better for you?