A passage that has sustained me through the lock downs and mandates to stay home is Psalm 1.
What delight comes to the one who follows God's ways! He won't walk in step with the wicked nor share the sinner's way, nor be found sitting in the scorners seat.
His pleasure and passion is remaining true to the Word of "I Am," meditating day and night in the true revelation of light.
He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God's design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of his life.
He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
-Psalm 1
What does this mean? It means that by following God's ways, remaining true to His word, and meditating on His word we can withstand much. By living like this we will become deeply rooted in our faith, like a tree planted beside a river that is strong and unwavering. And we will not just survive the hard times, we will actually thrive and bear fruit! In every season, we will prosper!
In contrast, we see a picture of a person who chooses the path of the wicked- the path that is not in step with the ways of God. This person does not fair so well in the hard times. Without deep roots the wind just blows this person away. This path leads to destruction.
As much as I hope and long for things to return to "normal," and recognize that we were created to live in community with one another, it encourages me to read these words and know that God will sustain us through whatever is coming next. We can choose to be like the tree planted by the brook of bliss, nourishing ourselves on the Word and allowing our roots to grow deeper and deeper and deeper. We will have a prosperous season - no matter what!
In the high stress moments of life, having scripture memorized is a great weapon to use against the attacks of the enemy. You can memorize scripture with your kids! They are capable! Help equip them with weapons that they can use to overcome anxious thoughts. I will share with you a video that I found that might be a useful tool for memorizing Psalm 1.
God Bless!