There’s a lot to be said for a quiet and restful life.

We are bombarded by so much overkill in the daily news that its challenging to maintain a sense of balance amidst all the confusion. The coronavirus pandemic has upended our lives, piling anxiety upon anxiety, plunging us into an economic recession and robbing us of many of the freedoms we normally took for granted.

You might be inclined to think you will lose your mind from all of these cares and worries. But, its not all that bad if you don’t overreact. There is a silver lining in all of this, and that is to turn your life over to God.

Jesus says, “come to Me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you” (Matthew 11:28). God will not fail you if you surrender to Him, in humility. Prayer is your best defensive strategy at a time like this for, once you surrender you life to God, you cannot lose.

Set a little time aside each day to commune with the Lord. A field that is rested produces a good harvest. Rest is as essential to the soul as oxygen is to the body. And, the thoughts we have when we are rested are totally different to the thoughts we have when we are exhausted and anxious.

So, rest in the Lord’s presence a little each day. Return to Him and He will renew you. You don’t have to worry about what to say when you pray, and you don’t have to use a lot of words either. God already knows your needs, and He provides the answers to your needs in the Scriptures.

Meditate on His word in scripture. Let it sink in and let it renew you, day by day, when you are at ease. The gospels are full of wonderful thoughts and stories that, not only inspire, but have the power to elevate thinking and change behavior. These words are still as fresh and creative today as they were when they were uttered two thousand years ago.

Remember too that God has given you the gift of life, and He wants you to make the best of it. So, take care of your own life as best you can. You don’t have to be a star. There is a precious little maxim that Voltaire coined in a brilliant, little book, called Candide. The hero, Candide, is a symbol for that part of us that is anxious and burdened by the problems of life. Candide tried everything, but nothing seemed to work.

Finally, he gets it.

The only thing you can do is take care of your own garden as best you can, your own precious life God gave you.

If everybody did this, the world would be a better place for all to live.

If you are feeling anxious during these anxious times, remember this: If God has brought you to this point, He will get you through it. He always does, and His people, the remnant, always survives.

So, cast your worries aside and turn your life over to Him.

Listen to today’s worship hymn – In the Garden. God is everywhere reaching out to you. Open your heart, and let Him in.

One last thing. If you like this message, be a good neighbor and share it with someone you love.

—Fr. Hugh Duffy