Are you tired and exhausted, but don’t know why? Are your emotions bouncing around like clothes in a dryer? Bump . . . thud. Are you dizzy, unbalanced, hurt, or bruised? Do you feel stretched, trapped, and possibly heating up?
The way natural disasters leave you raw and vulnerable, weak and helpless, Covid-19’s pandemic has done the same. It spawned panic and fear in its origin, especially among the sick and elderly. Life had become unmanageable.
Life as we knew it stopped in its tracks, halting economic growth and our need for touch. Church and entertainment relied on for coping evaporated temporarily, before returning with a resemblance of their original form.
The unknown stuck first, keeping fear company, before change replaced it in some cases, while only subduing it in other cases. Hope played hide-n-seek.
With information changing every five minutes, overwhelmed became a household name. Depression flooded home after home, knocking some to their knees while destroying others. A few continued to lay prostate under fear and stress.
Just when some were wrapping their minds around this strange phenomenon, life began adding to their present turmoil.
- Couldn’t find toilet paper
- Cooking at home now, you needed more pots and pans, but those weren’t considered “essential”
- Unemployment offices didn’t answer their phones
- A loved one got sick and you weren’t allowed to be in the hospital with them
- bronchitis and other sicknesses weren’t worthy of seeing a physician
- Entertainment and church – were not allowed
- Weddings, funerals, and graduations were cancelled unless creativity persisted
- A new level of government control, never seen before, knocked at our doors
- Adjustments to new rules at work, moving offices to home, or teaching children at home created challenges of the Godzilla kind
After picking yourself up with determination to cope in this seemingly fantasy world, defeat of some kind would knock you down again. It might be a lay-off, loss of investments, relatives moving in, marriage problems, inability to figure out Zoom, a crime going unpunished because the courts were closed, or a parent having a stroke from not going to the ER out of fear of getting Covid.
Weak, enough strength came from podcasts, online church services, blogs, and God’s Word to stand once again. Before taking another step, you try to process who is re-opening and what that entails. However, even though eagerness bubbles out, you can’t find a face mask so you borrow one. Disappointment and frustration overtake once again after waiting in line to get in a store that is sold out of meat.
Unexpected trials and crises hit us personally, waylaying us at the beginning. Normally, bouncing back in my life was easy, but we’re still picking up pieces. Loss is everywhere you turn.
The Covid fight has been long suffering, with not knowing what our new normal will be. We’ve endured the vaccination battle, another severe outbreak of a variant of Covid, only to arrive at inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
So how does one get back up when tired, sick, frustrated, and more?
1. Hold on to God’s Word and its truths.
God is our rescuer. He gives strength to the weary, hope to the hopeless, peace to the anxious, joy after mourning, wisdom to those unable to think, and much more. He will fight your battles. WE WIN!
2. Forgive yourself.
If you aren’t reacting normally, and find yourself overreacting in any form or fashion, like exploding easily in anger or yelling more than usual, forgive yourself . . . then, sin not. We aren’t ourselves. Just do your best and ask forgiveness daily.
3. Ask God for help.
Seek God’s guidance, for we’ve never gone this way before, as stated in the book of Joshua.
4. Give yourself permission to rest.
It’s okay to let go of responsibility and goals temporarily, and to lower your expectations while grieving and adjusting. In fact, I highly recommend it. Loss and grief require extra rest. Start slow when you do try more.
5. Talk to a friend, pastor, or a counselor.
Holding feelings in only leads to more destruction. Share your thoughts for healing purposes – not just venting to complain.
6. Deal with the most important task first.
What is the most important task to you? What can you put off? The goal is to regain control over time, regardless of how long. Pick the most important tasks, knowing wearing out is to be expected for awhile.
7. Don’t compare your previous abilities to now.
We are grieving to a massive amount of loss and change. Our mind can only process a certain amount of information and emotions at a time, yet we all have business to tend to as well.
8. Stay focused on God’s purpose for your life.
Don’t get distracted by news, media, or the like. Proverbs 4:25 “Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you.” What has He asked you to do for Him today?
Don’t get distracted by news, media, or the like. Proverbs 4:25 “Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you.” What has He asked you to do for Him today?
For more practical tips, verses, prayers, and personal stories, grab your copy of my book, “5 Keys to Surviving Life’s Storms.”
God will give you His strength, so be strong and courageous during these hard times!
QUESTION: What has been the hardest aspect of life for you to manage during this pandemic? Share in the comments below, and share this on social media. Thanks, as always.
© 2022, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
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