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I think it is fair to say that most of us headed into 2020 with high hopes and expectations. I was personally looking forward to a bucket list trip of a lifetime, a special 30th anniversary celebration, and the launch of our second campus of Bridgewood Church, when out of nowhere this global pandemic hit. Like you, I never saw it coming and would have never imagined that the world would be quarantined to their homes. But here we are at the beginning of May, learning to navigate a “new normal”.
This pandemic has affected people in different ways. Some have been infected with the virus, others know someone who lost their life to this deadly threat, some have lost their jobs and others are learning to teach their kids from home. The uncertainty and reality of this crisis has caused fear, anxiety, stress and worry for many people. Crisis has a way of draining your emotional tank and leaving you feeling empty and hopeless.
How do you know when your emotional tank is empty? Here are several signs that you need to be pay attention for: A feeling of fear that won’t go away. A feeling of isolation. When nothing you do has meaning or satisfaction. When you find yourself running away from things. A loss of sleep and appetite. A grief over the loss of something. Our natural response is to mask, medicate or ignore the pain through a variety of destructive choices.
The psalmist spoke to his own soul in a moment of crisis and said “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” I love the fact that he was honest about his emotions and feelings of pain and emptiness. We will all struggle at times to find balance for our soul when things around us are unstable and uncertain. If you are honest with yourself and are looking for something to fill or recover your emotional tank, then consider a few of these suggestions.
Isolation is the worst thing during a crisis. We were never meant to do life alone or isolated. I haven’t been a fan of the term “social distancing” that we hear all the time. We have physical distancing restrictions we have to comply with right now, but socially we need each other. I believe that relationship with God, and then others, is the foundation of a healthy soul. More than ever before we need the love, support and encouragement of people. Human connection and relationships are what feed the soul and help us during times of uncertainty. I have been pushing myself to find people to call, write, or text every day. This fuels my soul and gives me strength that I am not in this alone.
We have heard recently about “essential services” that must function during crisis and we are all grateful for that. Something that is essential in times like this is faith. The Bible describes faith as the thing that we hope for and the evidence of things not seen. The reason people often turn to God in a crisis is because God brings hope and He is the only thing that remains constant when everything else is shaken. Faith reminds us that we can endure more than we think we can. Faith helps us to see beyond the problem to the possibility of something on the other side. Faith is what brings peace and comfort when things don’t go as planned. Can I invite you today to put your faith and trust in God like the psalmist? Trusting God gives my soul hope and prepares me for what is ahead. You are going to make it through this! You’re not alone. If you need help or someone to talk or pray with, we are here for you. Please respond to help@bridgewoodchurch.com if you would like to connect with us as a church or MyCovidResponse.org for a great variety of practical resources.