Reclaiming My Peace and Hope After Losing It To Covid-19 – Devotional

Hello friend,

Today I want to share with you from my heart and invite you in to hear my thoughts and feelings surrounding Covid-19. I want to share with you some of the effects that it has had on my life. How the peace within me was snatched away and how I am starting to reclaim it back. My hope is that someone else will be able to relate and hopefully be encouraged by my sharing.

Getting Trapped In All The Information On Covid-19

For over a month now I have been witness to many online interactions between people talking about the Coronavirus. I have been messaged articles to read and YouTube videos to watch. They have come from both close friends and acquaintances and they vary in what they say.  Initially I watched all and read the articles sent my way. Rarely did I respond as I was not willing to put myself in an uncomfortable situation and truth be told my beliefs are in the middle of the extremes that I was sent. In addition, I noted that on most online forums people were quite mean to each other. If someone didn’t believe the same as someone else it almost always resulted in name calling. I have witnessed friendships weakening and even dissolving from differences in opinions.

Peace – Snatched Away by Covid-19

After several weeks of being the midst of the messages, articles and videos sent I realized that my peace was diminished.  I began to feel agitated, annoyed, sad and frustrated. My brain was awake at all hours (even throughout the night) trying to make sense of all the information I was feeding it. Between the conspiracy theories, the lack of people honoring social distancing and the guilt and shame people were heaping on each other. Coupled with the information being censored from the internet to the way the media was reporting it. All of the information on Covid-19 was starting to affect my spirit, my mood and how I functioned during the day.

I felt a heaviness in my spirit that I knew deep within was not from God. In fact, without even realizing it I was even distancing myself from God. I grabbed hold of fear and slowly let go of my faith.

 Listening To Man — Many Opinions on Covid-19

The scary and confusing thing for me is the differing of opinions from both (all) sides. As I have mentioned, I had been reading a lot of info – from the extremes to the middle ground. Every opinion has some professional endorsing it or refuting it. No matter what a person wants to believe you can find someone to agree with your personal view. At the end of the day this had caused me confusion and some fear. I would ask myself — “Is there a bit of truth in all of it? Some of it? Or none of it?. Are we being told everything or are is there some information being withheld? Does the government, doctors, leaders ect, have our best interests in mind?”.

So many question swirling around my brain. Just like a hamster running on his brand new hamster wheel – at all hours of the day and night.

Lesson One – Don’t Buy Into The Distractions

One afternoon I was sitting and pondering my day. I started to think about gratitude and how good God has been to me throughout my life. One thing I am confident in is my faith in Jesus. That afternoon I came to a realization that I was allowing this pandemic to distract me from the time that I was (and can) spend with God. I was allowing fear, anger, anxiety and confusion due to these distractions, have a foothold in my life.

 

Lesson Two – Don’t Get Caught Up In Strife

Witnessing all the strife amongst others due to differing opinions caused a heaviness in my heart. This strife distracted me from truly focusing on God and seeking His kingdom first. I got so caught up in the news and the conflicting information given from many different sources that it overwhelmed me.  Time that I usually spent in prayer or in bible study was bit by bit taken over by all the various distractions. The Bible tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God. It doesn’t tell us to try and figure everything out and then seek God. 

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” – Matthew 6:33 (AMPC)

Lesson Three – Where Do I Put My Trust?

Last year I wrote a devotional on trust that I needed to revisit and re-read. My spirit needed a reminder of where I need to be putting my trust and where I was putting my trust.

“Trust in Him at all times you people, pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge”. – Pslam 62:8

Even in the midst of this pandemic of Covid-19 I need to be putting my trust in God. It will only hinder me if I put my trust in the various opinions of all those around me.

There is not a government leader, professional doctor or anyone else for that matter that knows better than God. To get into debates with others about the various ‘truths’ that are circulating in the media (and social media) will only cause strife, offense, confusion and lack of peace.

Lesson Four – Invest Time With God

The more time I spend seeking God and His guidance the less time I will have to spend dwelling on the world. When I feed my spirit with God’s word and starve it from all the various “Covid-19” opinions of others, my peace returns. God has assured us that He will make everything (even the chaos – lies – what’s meant for evil) for good.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” – Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Lesson Five – Reclaimed Peace And Hope in The Midst of Covid-19

Digging into God’s Word and feeding my spirit with it is a choice that I need to make daily. Choosing to seek His face and His Word over the voices in the world helps instill in me hope. This Hope gives me a greater peace and helps me fight fear. It propels me to be more mindful of all that is trying to distract me. This hope also encourages me to press forward. I know that I am not walking this journey alone and that God is as close as the mere whisper of His name. (Psalms 145:18)

What I Don’t Know

In regards to “Covid-19” I don’t know what all is in store for us – for the world or for me. All the various opinions of what is happening and why it’s happening is not as important as I had first been led to believe. I don’t know how long it will take to get back to normal or if getting back to normal is even possible (or beneficial).  In addition, I don’t know which “professional, or leader” is telling the 100% truth. Maybe no one is being 100% truthful? Could there be a bit of truth in all of it?

 

What I Do Know

There is still a lot that I don’t know and I have come to a place of acceptance that when I am to know — God will be the one to show me.  I do know that God still sits on the throne. Even in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty in the world that God is still in control. I know that God loves me (and you) and that He is wanting to help us through this time. God is waiting for us to seek Him and invite Him to help us put down the weariness and heaviness that we carry. He is waiting for us to stop being distracted by the opinions of others and look to Him for guidance.

I also know that my trust needs to be given to Him for that is where I find my hope and my peace. My opinions on Covid-19 are just that – opinions. They are derived by taking in information from various sources. It’s perfectly fine to have opinions – sometimes I choose to not share mine as that too can distract me from my relationship with God. I also have to be careful when sharing them or when reacting to others when they share theirs. We honor God when we can still be kind even when we disagree.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for restoring peace to my heart. I don’t have all the answers but I never was meant to have them. Today I am choosing to trust You. Help me to discern when the enemy is trying to distract me from what’s important – my relationship with You.  I confess that there are times throughout my day that I struggle with fear, anxiety, uncertainty and even anger. Help me Lord, to turn to You during these times. Forgive me for any offense that I have harbored in my heart due to the differing of opinions and my own fear. Help me to walk in faith. May my relationship with You grow and flourish as I press forward into all that You have for me. Help me to respond to others in kindness and show them love as You show me love.  In Jesus’ Name —- Amen

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Have you lost your peace and hope? Are you willing to focus more on God and spending time with Him than on the pandemic? How has Covid-19 effected you?

Let me know in the comments as I would love to hear from you and pray for you too.

Are you interested in reading more of my devotionals? I am including a link for you:

Victorious Living — Devotions

Blessings ❤️