How Do We Face COVID?

​At this moment in history, many people are asking the same question: How do we FACE COVID? The answer depends a great deal on who we are asking. During this crisis there have been numerous resources floating around about how to cope, but all seem grossly insufficient to the task when compared with what God offers. Whether it be this crisis or the next, the riches we have in Christ and the truths we know from scripture are the answers to our deepest questions.

Fear not, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Simply put, we do not face this or any crisis alone; God is in control. This does not mean we have an absence of the feeling of fear, but rather with the emotions of fear we do experience there is the freedom to “cast all our anxieties on Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). As the psalmist David says, “I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me” (Psalm 23). God is a Good Shepherd guarding His sheep and so in this context there is no longer any need to be overwhelmed by worry or panic; we may firmly rest in reliance on the God who loves us.

Allow grief. There is plenty about this situation that may make us sad, and it is healthy to permit the tears to fall and the weight of grief to come upon us. Grieving well is a healthy response to real suffering in the world. We may grieve loss of contact with others, the loss of a job, or the loss of a loved one. When C.S. Lewis lost his wife to cancer, he exclaimed, “No one told me grief felt so like fear.” We lament our losses, but always in the mindset that God’s mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). In addition, what a beautiful time to confess our contribution to loss, and to seek God’s mercy.

Continue working. That may seem grossly callous amidst such a spike of unemployment, but work is more than a job and it existed in the Garden of Eden as a part of God’s design for us long before sin entered the world. This crisis gives us a chance to actually reflect on how we are acting. What applied effort are we engaged in now and where is it leading? While accepting the things we cannot change, we commit our work to the Lord and fully engage in it. Whether our task is teaching children, serving the sick, or wisely using down time, in all these things we put ourselves into it, as to the Lord, for through Him our inheritance comes (Colossians 3:23).

Engage in our primary purpose, which is already defined for us. That statement may sound like an affront to our independence, and it is. While we all may be doing different specific activities with our gifts, God has spelled out the primary way to make meaning of existence. In Micah 6:8, we have been told what is good: “Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” In the middle of the 17th century, an assembly of people was asked by the king to consider the core questions of life and to summarize the coherent truths in scripture. To the question, “What is the chief end of Man?” they answered, “To glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism). COVID or not, this is a purpose that may not be taken from us, so is our primary commitment to this purpose or to something else?

Consider sitting still. One of the silver linings to the COVID crisis is for us to see just how frenetic our lives have become, so this emerges as an opportunity to meditate on all God is doing. This may be fostered simply by spending a quiet hour outside and being mindful of God’s creation – its beauty and intricacy and design. Perhaps this is a chance to re-engage in a quiet time, devotions, and contemplative prayer; habits which may have been sidelined by busy-ness. When we hide God’s word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11) through memorization of key scriptural truths, then they emerge from the soil of suffering bearing fruit to sustain us, and we are reminded of the peace that comes from a mind stayed on God and trusting in Him (Isaiah 26:3).

Offer assistance. Jesus told his disciples explicitly that He “…did not come into the world to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The overwhelming needs for some people right now must shake us out of self-interest and into an active desire to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Finding creative ways to do this is an appropriate and even thrilling part of showing others the love God has for them. Indeed, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Value life. After all, is that not the essence of why our lives are turned up-side-down? We are doing this to protect the lives of our most vulnerable, who if infected would be at risk of dying. For this reason, it makes sense to limit contact, hand-wash, etc. while we also pray for wisdom in our government and healthcare leaders to make reasoned decisions to optimize human flourishing. Even while this is relevant, and the celebration of all human life is necessary, so this moment also points us to something greater, namely, eternal life. Without it we are lost and there is no way to effectively value this life or understand suffering. By trusting in Jesus, we may be assured that we will not be under judgement and will receive eternal life (John 5:24).

Increase desire for collective worship. As churches have closed their doors, Easter felt very different and it brought into stark reality: We were made to worship God together and live lives in community. Finding on-line methods for continued “gathering” is worth the effort, for by this we “spur each other on to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but all the more as we see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). May we let this absence from congregation remind us of the importance of family as God’s first community; may we aim the Church toward His Kingdom.

Delight in the Lord! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercies endure forever” (Psalm 136:1). At no time is this an irrelevant task. Truly, we “rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). Peace be with you all.

Author

Dr. Bryan Davidson is a PCC member and a clinical health psychologist