Do you feel like a balloon stretched so far you are going to pop? Maybe you feel more like a sluggish snake warming itself after a cold winter. It appears to me, every Christian I know is struggling . . . unsure of what to believe, what to do, how to act. They are growing weary, confused, and fearful.
Living in a pandemic is very much like riding an emotional rollercoaster. Our life has had more changes in one year than two teenagers change their clothes in one week. We might even have as many mood swings as them on certain days.
Our normal struggles of loss, health, or finances have all been compounded with extra restrictions, unknowns, and an election year. No sooner than cobwebs are cleaned out of our head, the news blasts more hatred or division. Murders are up. Suicides are up. Christians are the light in this darkness, but many of their flames are like the dim glow of a candle.
Guess what? It only takes a spark to get a fire going. Maybe some of these ideas will add power to your light. These are a result of much personal experience with a long season of multiple struggles, and is what helped me.
* Seek the Lord first. Pray more, read more scriptures, and spend time praising His Holy Name. Then, listen for His still small voice.
* Give yourself permission to rest. Taking care of yourself by getting more sleep, time to zone, and doing less than your normal routine. Your body is under stress and needs more time (and vitamins) to heal itself.
* Forgive yourself. When in a battle of any kind, you are being pushed to extreme limits and often discover you don’t react the way you intended. Forgive yourself. Maybe it’s not your reactions you need to forgive, but your inability to be happy, productive, think clearly, or any number of other things. When you are too hard on yourself, forgive yourself, and lower your expectations.
* Fill your mind with Godly and positive thoughts. Only listen to the news when absolutely necessary. Don’t listen to it or even Christians if they aren’t proclaiming a positive, uplifting, and unifying message. God is not the author of confusion. Choose Christian podcasts, sermons, or family entertainment over violent video games or war movies.
* Stay connected with others. Isolation is a terrible enemy and with social distancing forcing fewer get-togethers, and not many church services, we need even more connection. Use social media, call a friend, eat together outdoors or a large space, text or send cards.
* Distract yourself. Believe it or not, it is good to think of others and do a kind deed. Equally, is finding a project you haven’t done in a long time and do it. Many deep clean, put scrapbooks together, paint or do some face lift around the house. This distracts, keeps your mind occupied, lets you move, and gives a sense of accomplishment.
* Give others grace. Grace means giving others what they don’t deserve – just like Christ did for us. Remember, they are under extreme stress also. Christians need to unite; not be divided. We need to be the light, even if we’re not burning quite as brightly as normal. Any light in the darkness is beneficial. Grace given to an unbeliever might persuade them to become one.
* Know you have a future. This, too, shall pass. It won’t be long before we see our Savior face to face. One way, we can glorify Him Is by improving our character. Leslie Vernick recommended we consider what virtues or character traits we’d like to possess by the end of 2021, then write them down.
For example, bold, patient, and generous. Every day, ask yourself how would this bold, patient, and generous version of yourself handle this moment? Then, do it without letting your emotions dictate your behavior or choices. Building Godly attributes internally is building our spiritual muscles! Let’s do it! Thank you, Leslie Vernick for this awesome advice.
I realize this is more of a pep talk than my normal teaching, tips, or devotions. We all need this because even with the arrival of a vaccination, this pandemic will go on for another year or two. God is with us, though, offering His courage and strength, pouring out His love, and shining light in the darkness . . . whether we feel Him, or not. Christians grow in times of hardship and struggle. Together, we can do this!
What has been the hardest part of the pandemic for you? Please share in the comments below. If you’ve tried something not listed that worked for you, please share that as well.
Thanks for taking time to stop in to read and for sharing my post with your friends. May God be glorified in all we say and do, even during these hard and challenging times.
© 2021, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.
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