“Commit thy works unto Jehovah, And thy purposes shall be established.”
Proverbs 16:3 ASV
Happy Friday! It’s Spread the Love Friday and touching is not allowed. When we had Church services we waived the peace sign to people across the room. Do not fear. There are other ways to spread God’s love.
A year and a half after Hurricane Michael our community is slowly recovering. Just when we were beginning to see help, we found ourselves faced with COVID-19. All my book signings and travel has been cancelled and we are working inside a locked building. It seems like it would be a great time to catch up on work, but work and the emotional stress is heavier than usual. Maybe it’s the isolation, or the amount of fear that blasts through television broadcasts and social media. One of the hardest things for me to accept is the inability to have worship services.
As the week Has progressed more and more business are shutting down and limiting hours of operation. Yesterday, a friend from California shared a story about her elderly mother being sick and her inability to check on her. During the day I was in meetings discussing how to handle hurricane evacuations during COVID-19 quarantines. Then, last night I learned our son-in-law, daughter and grandchildren have been exposed to someone who tested positive. This morning I faced the tear-filled eyes of a friend, who had lost her friend unexpectedly.
How can we stay positive as we watch the world, as we know it, fall apart? Part of the problem is God created us to be social. We need interaction with other people, and let’s face it, electronic media isn’t the same. Sometimes we need a hug without fearing contamination or exposing someone else. Sometimes we need to sit together and listen to the people we love express their grief. Sometimes we need to laugh together. I feel this need strongly, despite being immune compromised. I know I might get sick and die, but cannot help but hug someone who is hurting.
Another problem is we are so bombarded with negativity and fear, that we can’t see the good. In 1999 psychologists Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris conducted the “invisible gorilla” experiment to show that when we focus hard on something, we become blind to the unexpected. (Choi; 7/11/2010; https://www.livescience.com/6727-invisible-gorilla-test-shows-notice.html). Volunteers watched a video of two teams (one dressed in black and the other in white) passing a ball. Participants were charged with counting the passes. They became so enthralled in their task that they didn’t notice a gorilla entering and walking around the room. Since that time there have been many other studies, but the point is sometimes we become so overwhelmed by what is in front of us that we fail to count our blessings. I know that I can become so focused at work that I’m easily startled. Have you ever experienced that?
We are being bombarded by news updates and images related to COVID-19 constantly. While we certainly cannot completely control our environments, we can choose to go outside for a walk, FaceTime family members and friends to check on them, send cheerful messages or funny memes to make others smile, and cry with one another. The human experience is important for everyone.
Our worship services may have been cancelled, but Isaiah 54:17 says “[n]o weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against them in judgement thou shalt condemn.” COVID-19 is not of God. We can continue to worship at home with our families. We can watch televised worship services. I have made adjustments by holding Wednesday night youth meetings and Sunday School meetings through a group chat app. Our minister is also live streaming.
In the middle of the chaos that is taking place, find your peace in God, who always understands. May God Bless You.
We have all endured temptations and preserved through life’s trials, but some seem especially difficult. Saying goodbye to a family member too soon, watching a friend slowly die or suffer with an illness, poverty, war, homelessness, hunger, and pain are among of the trials we encounter, and there are many more. How close we live to pain and suffering. Yet, when we search our hearts, we can find a glimpse of happiness even in the most painful moments. Although it may be difficult, there is always something for which to be thankful, and there is always someone who has more difficult trials.
beliefs. John the Baptizer was beheaded after rebuking Herod for marrying Herodias, his niece and ex-wife of his brother (Mark 6:17–29). Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60), as was James, the brother of Jesus. Peter was crucified upside down and Paul was beheaded. Other early disciples were crucified in various places. Christians have been cooked alive, dragged to death, skinned alive, sewn into skins and eaten alive by wild animals, starved, boiled, ground to death, had the inner organs eaten by pigs while alive and tortured in numerous other ways. Christians are still persecuted today.
exponentially from the very beginning. Why are people willing to be tortured and killed without fighting back and all the while praying for those who persecute them? For me the answer is undeserved loving forgiveness and redemption from sin (grace) by faith that brings promises of eternal life. The faith carried by beliefs is so strong that we are able to face adversity in the steps of Jesus. James the Just, who was later stoned to death , said “[b]lessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). The good news is whether you are dying a martyr or living through every day trials, your love for the Lord will lead you to the “crown of life”. Keep the faith.
