I called my mom on the phone amidst all the mayhem. I’m used to this woman being dramatic. But for some reason, her poise was all I could hear over that phone, and it shocked me. It shocked me because her first message to me wasn’t to be careful for the coronavirus. Literally she began her sentence…Baba, be careful… I thought I knew what was coming next. I thought she’d say wash your hands, stay away from people that look sick, etc. But no. Mom says Baba, be careful… for fear.

I paused. Was I scared? Yes, yes I was. Everything she said was confirmation that fear had already made its way into my head. All of this chaos removed the floor from which I was standing on. This isn’t how spring quarter was supposed to go – not my last quarter of college. What will happen to my friends? What will happen to commencement? What will happen to the Poetry Jam that I literally just confirmed the date and venue on campus for THE SAME DAY WE GOT THE NEWS! It was supposed to be June 6th. What happens to June 6th? What happens next? 

I think that’s a question no one has the answer to but God Himself. It seems like the world just turned upside down and there is nothing any person, institution or government can do to stop it. Who knew that all it took was one virus? But, of course, amidst my thoughts running amok I couldn’t help but think that God knew this was all going to happen.

That’s right. He knew it would happen. He literally saw it coming because He knows the beginning from the end. He knew it was coming – and He did nothing to stop it. Yeah – that’s right nothing. So what does that tell me? I can scream and shout, curse up a storm or – maybe acknowledge the fact that the One that loves me the most in the entire universe actually cleared this, allowing it to happen. If He really still loves me and let this happen at the same time, then maybe it needed to happen for a reason?

I know. I know, the cliche, everything happens for a reason statements must be making you sick by now (hopefully not too sick), but hear what I’m about to say. God, the one that created you and loves you more than anyone, let this happen. If we believe that He loves us, then do you really believe that He just sent this our way to ruin your life? That’s not how my God gets down. We have to trust Him.

I sat down with one of my close friends and co-worker, Nygel. He told me that some people probably needed this as a wake-up call. This was for the people who put their trust in school, or the governments of this world, or anything else that has proven to be incapable this past week. Everything we put our trust in has been exposed, and the way I see it is that there’s only thing to put our trust in now.

Emmanuel doesn’t know what happens next. Not me, not the scientists, not the government, and not your school. ONLY Him. I don’t know exactly why He’s letting this go down, but I will trust Him, and urge you to do the same. He allowed us to be in this situation so allow Him to carry you through it. I, for one, am going to try my best to stop whining and complaining and just let God do His thang.