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Have you ever wondered the best way to tell your friends about Jesus? With the coronavirus threatening the well-being of populations worldwide, people need hope. I know from experience the power observing a believer’s faith in action can have in drawing a person to the Lord.

[bctt tweet=”Have you ever wondered the best way to tell your friends about Jesus? With the world upside down over the threat and effects of the coronavirus, people need hope. @DebbieWWilson #hope, #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]

During my senior year of college, as the time approached to launch into adulthood, a restless anxiety began to build inside of me. When I overheard some sorority sisters talking about going on a ski retreat with a Christian group, I perked up. This group was a bit more fervent in their faith than I was, but I reasoned a ski retreat would be safe. And I needed a dose of inspiration.

Our group boarded an old school bus anticipating a great weekend in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. As soon as we hit the mountain foothills the bus from the flatlands of coastal Georgia began to sputter, stutter, and stop.

Different students took turns praying while the bus driver worked under the hood. Their prayers sounded like this, “Thank you, Lord for being in control.”

“Thank you, for allowing this to happen.”

“Thank you, that you are working this out for Your purpose and our good.”

I’d thanked God for the good things I was grateful for. I’d never thanked Him for problems and disappointments. These prayers caught my attention.

As we climbed steeper hills, the bus’s stops became more frequent. And did I mention the bus heater quit working? My frozen toes ached. Each breakdown brought more prayers of thanksgiving. Finally, late into the night, after the conference’s evening sessions had ended, our bus sat on the side of a dark highway—broken-down again.

Across from us sprawled a dingy motel we nicknamed Cockroach Inn. When talks about staying there surfaced, I started praying—silently. “Dear Lord, don’t listen to these people! I am not thankful for this. I don’t want to spend the night here. We’re cold and tired. Please get us to the conference.”

The bus began to rumble, and we were off. We arrived and tiptoed into our sleeping rooms so as not to awake the others.

The weekend was amazing. The speakers were inspirational; the singing was delightful, and I had fun. And while I wasn’t sure I agreed with their Christian zeal, I couldn’t dismiss the peace these people showed in difficulty. When a guy shrugged off the loss of his senior ring, I marveled. Who were these people who trusted God with loss and disappointment?

I’d been a believer since middle school and knew I was going to heaven when I died. But I lacked the calm confidence these students displayed. Trusting God with day-to-day disappointments was foreign to me.

I returned home that weekend thirsty to know Jesus better, not because of the wonderful teaching, worship, and fun (though those didn’t hurt), but because of the peace these students exhibited during disappointment. Their eternal perspective showed me a God bigger than any frustration. One worthy of my complete trust.

Those students were right to thank God for the bus breakdowns. It was a broken-down bus that provided a canvas to showcase what real faith looks like. Now I too thank God for that broken-down bus.

Have you ever considered that your friends and family watch how you respond to stress? Our greatest witness may be in how we respond to difficulty. Perhaps God has allowed the coronavirus to shake our world so the world will see faith in action.

[bctt tweet=”Perhaps God has allowed the coronavirus to shake our world so the world will see faith in action. @DebbieWWilson #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1 NIV).

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