Pandemic. Wash your hands. Unknown. Dangerous. Thousands. National emergency. These words and phrases have reverberated with prominence and speed over a period of brevity.

Of course, we should be concerned about the Coronavirus and the implications that it holds for our health. We should take precautions to protect ourselves. We should want to get tested.

Rather than write an article merely regurgitating what is already known about this virus and emphasizing the unanswered questions, I would like to share how I am personally trying to cope with it.

Every night, I pray for not only the health of my family, but for the spreading of the virus to cease. I try to have hope that a vaccine will be developed.

Uncertainty is dictating a lot of people's actions during this time. News outlets like The New York Times examined people's shopping patterns in depth, attributing it to factors like anxiety and fear.

We have every right to be scared. But, the virus has caused me to truly reflect on faith and ask one existential question.

When are we ever certain?

There are multiple cliche֒́s highlighting this concept. We have all heard that "life is short" and that we don't know if there will be a tomorrow.

In other words, the Coronavirus did not transform our lives from certain and predictable to uncertain. Our lives have always been uncertain and will continue to be. The Coronavirus further emphasizes how we truly do not know everything.

After all, we are not meant to. The Bible teaches that fear gives power to the devil, and regardless of anyone's religious beliefs, fear immobilizes. It paralyzes. It locks us within our minds, away from any words of hope and possibility.

So, what should you do if you're scared?

Well, I know that I am scared. So, I pray.

Through praying to God, I channel faith, which is a remedy to fear. I am aware that there are multiple elements of life that I cannot control, the unprecedented Coronavirus being one of them.

One of my favorite Biblical passages reads, "Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

This quote supplies me with hope on a regular basis, but especially during this crisis. I can be an agent of my life and embark to find happiness.

One may frown at a quote like this and call it merely delusional. But, I see it as proof of a loving God.

You see, Jesus died on the cross so that all of our sins would be forgiven. Our Father has mercy. We do not have to hold the heaviness of our mistakes. It is our God who handles the weight, who sees us as human.

Part of being human is obviously not only being susceptible to blunders but lack of knowledge. We want the world to be fixed, we want to have control. In that respect, this time is no different from any other time.

However, it would be naive to just dismiss the virus as invalid. It is truly serious, and of course, we want to return to our lives before its spread. Even though those lives were just as uncertain as they are now.

This is where faith comes in. We will wash our hands. We yearn to get tested, but in many areas, businesses, schools, and even places of worship are temporarily closed. So, what can we do in the meantime?

We can pray, for prayer is not restricted to a religious facility. As the Biblical quote suggests, part of happiness is not just fulfilling our abilities, but recognizing what we cannot do. We may be unable, but God is able. Knowing that God controls what you cannot should provide a sense of relief.

That is what faith is all about.