Path to Wholeness

Recovering from Covid-19 Pandemic

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A global ongoing pandemic, Covid-19, has shaken the world and changed our lives.

How Has Covid Affected You?

The first way it did was to feel us with fear! According to studies, the pandemic has caused us to have feelings of exhaustion, anxiety, nervousness, stress, and uncertainty. 

But it may feel like the pandemic is over and that we should be fine. But it’s like a car accident – you will feel some bodily and emotional responses after the accident is over, not during. I’ve been in three serious car accidents and they have left me with neck and shoulder issues. I’ve also had trauma-like feelings that I’ve had to work through.

The enemy is always ready to use something like this pandemic to wear us down? First, we can be left with feelings, like exhaustion, anxiety, nervousness, stress, or uncertainty. Secondly, we shut down and fail to nourish ourselves: 

  • We don’t nurture and care for our body, soul and spirit
  • We stay home a lot more and spend less time doing helpful things and being with others
  • We fail to exercise and take care of ourselves physically
  • We don’t take time to read but instead spend a lot of time on all kinds of media
  • We are too tired after a day at work to do anything
  • We feel powerless and out of control
  • We find it easier to become Irritated or frustrated in everyday life

On a more serious note, we might even end up using:

  • An addictions as a way of escape or
  • Become depressed or have feelings of suicide

How has Covid Affected us Spiritually?

We know that its affected us all Emotionally. But have you ever realized how it might have affected you spiritually?

  • Some people choose to stay home and not take time to worship at church and be a part of the community of face-to-face support
  • We also may be too tired to pray or do things that connect us to God
  • We may become distracted and move our eyes onto something else

Recovering from Covid

God is our LIFELINE! So we must prioritize him in our life or the enemy will try to win this battle! We must also take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, and spirituallly because we are the temple of God (I Cor. 3:16). Here are a few things that have helped me:

  • Plan a time each day (even put it on your calendar) to be with God.
  • Spend time journaling each day. It will allow the Spirit of God to be your counselor and let go of the distracting emotions and happenings in your life.
  • Try choosing more healthy things to eat
  • Exercising. especially outside in nature, can help restore you
  • Use a free phone App called, “Lectio 365” that offers a devotional in the morning and evening. It is so refreshing and helpful!
  • Another helpful phone App is one that can help anxiety, stress release, clearing your mind, or settling down for sleep, etc. It is called the “Breathwrk App”. Proper breathing can help you a lot with your emotions. It can also help prepare you for meditating by allowing you to relax and feel calm.
  • And finally, another helpful phone App is “One Minute Pause App”, a free App by John Eldredge. I have especially been helped by his “30 Days to Resilient” section. He is teaching me to let go of my emotions, open my heart to God, and allow God to be the priority of my life.

One Minute Pause App | Connecting with god, Paused, GodGod is the power source and can help you heal from the “after-affect” of this Covid 19 experience and any other stresses in your life.

“But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge.” (Psalm 73:28)

 

Dealing with the Storms of Life

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In the last blog, I talked about how to overcome fear by looking at the responses of the disciples’ and King David (Mark 4:35-41, Psalm 27). In this blog, we will learn how to deal with storms of life by looking at how Jesus responds to them.

“Out of nowhere, a vicious storm blew over the sea. Waves were lapping up over the boat, threatening to overtake it! Yet Jesus was asleep. Frightened (not to mention confused – how could anyone sleep through this?), the disciples woke Him up. Lord, save us! We’re going to drown! Jesus says, “Please! What are you so afraid of? (Are you having trouble trusting me?) Jesus got up, (he rebuked the storm telling) the wind and the waves to calm down, and they did. The sea became still and calm once again” (Matthew 8:24-26, Voice version).

It’s obvious the disciples have a strong connection with Jesus and have experienced his miracles and power. But their emotions are causing them to be confused, “How could anyone sleep through this?”

Why does Jesus sometimes seem non-responsive?

Have you ever felt like Jesus was silent or sleeping during the storms in your life? And how could he be so relaxed and non-responsive to you as you face this difficult situation in your life?

These questions tend to cause us to doubt God’s love and his power to help us. We have an expectation that if someone loved us, they would help us. And when our expectations are not met, we become disappointed and often lose hope. “Disappointment leaves you heartsick” (Prov. 13:12, Amp). Another translation says, “When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing” (TPT).

This is exactly what the enemy wants because he now has control of our thinking (Can I trust God? Can he really solve this?) and our emotions (Does God really love me? I am disappointed and losing hope.) But Jesus is able to save us while he’s sleeping (seemingly silent), as well as when he’s awake (actively working to change our situation).

Jesus’ response to the Disciples

So how does Jesus respond? First, he calms the disciples (What are you so afraid of? Are you having trouble trusting me?) Then he rebukes the wind & waves with the words, “Peace, be still!” (NKJ) or  “Silence! Be still!” (NLT)” or “Hush! Calm down!” (TPT)! Jesus knows if he calms the disciples first and lets them know he understands that they are afraid, they will become peaceful within themselves. And then they will be more open to being calmed IN the storm”. Calming down during a storm in life is our very first priority!

When Jesus was ‘rebuking’ the storm, the Greek word epitimao, means to restrain, to curb its ferocity. Epitimao is also the word used when Jesus rebukes the demons in people (Matt. 17:18, Luke 9:42, Luke 4:41, Mark 9:25), and the fever in Simon’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:39). The demons, the fever, and the storms are all treated as if they are hostile and rebel forces that need to be restrained. Do you understand that these forces are meant to weaken your faith, just as it did the disciples?

Jesus Sees things Differently

It is important to understand that God has a different view of our lives than we do. You might say he has a screen that sees ‘the past, present, and future’. We only have a screen that sees ‘today’. If we perceived what God saw, we would understand the happenings of our lives much better. But we can’t see what God does. So we need a ‘shield of Faith’ that protects and helps us extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And we need ‘Peace’ strapped on our feet in order to face the enemy with firm-footed stability (Eph. 6:16).

How to Respond in a Storm of Life

So the next time you face a storm, let Christ calm your thinking and feelings. He understands and wants to comfort you. Then you will be able to reaffirm your ‘trust’ in him, speaking it out loud. “I trust you, Lord.”

Finally, speak to the storm with these words, ‘In the name of Jesus, I rebuke you, storm: Silence! Be still’. You may be amazed, just like the disciples were, that “even the wind and waves (the storms of life) obey him” (Matt. 8:27)!

How to Overcome Fear

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What makes you feel afraid? Would you like to know how to overcome fear? Let me begin by telling you about a time in my life when I was afraid.

My Story

It was an afternoon in 1972 and my husband and I were in a hurry, so we decided to take a shortcut through a dangerous section of Houston. All of a sudden our car began to make an unfamiliar noise and quickly came to a stop. There were no cell phones in those days, so we were left with few options.

We decided to lock the car and look for a phone booth as we walked in the direction toward home. We hadn’t gone far, however before I sensed a spine-chilling feeling. A man was walking toward us who looked creepy and frightening. What might he do to us? As fear rose up in me, I felt like I could hardly swallow. My husband had gotten paid that morning and had way too much cash in his billfold. So I breathed a quick prayer and tried to look unconcerned even though fear was gripping my heart.

But then a strange thing happened. As the man got within six feet of us, he suddenly made a turn toward the road and after passing us, he moved back onto the sidewalk. His movements looked like a square box and it seemed like he wasn’t able to get any closer to us.

Soon after he moved past us, a police car pulled over to the sidewalk and asked us what we were doing walking in this area of town. We told him our car had broken down. He said he wasn’t allowed to give us a lift in his police car, but if he didn’t, we might not make it out of this neighborhood.

Thankfully, he took us home. My heart eventually returned to normal but I was convinced that God had placed a hedge of protection around us that day!

The Disciple’s Fear

We find the disciples also afraid as they encounter a fierce storm (Mark 4:35-41). The winds are so violent that the waves crash into the boat, filling it with water. Now to me, their fear seemed unnecessary because Jesus is in the boat with them sleeping soundly. And, on top of that, they have already seen him perform many miracles; so why are they so afraid?

Verse 38 tells us that they are so emotionally upset that they begin shaking Jesus and yelling, “Don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” Jesus simply rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence, be still”! He then asked the disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Fear is one of the most basic human emotions and is brought on by perceived danger or threat. When we feel fear, we tend to feel unsafe. However, fear is the opposite of faith and is what happens when we trust in ourselves. Fear is a basic instinct, whereas faith is a learned belief. Don’t get me wrong, danger is real, but fear is still a choice and a decision. The problem with the disciples was that they believed that the storm was bigger than Jesus. Their fear (an emotion) had shut down their faith (a rational belief).

How David Overcame his Fear

So, how can we Overcome Fear? In Psalm 27, David had a mighty army surrounding him (vs. 3) and they were breathing out violence (vs. 12). Do you know what David’s answer to fear was? To overcome fear, seek the Lord. Now that sounds too simple, doesn’t it? But David made a choice, “I will not be afraid…I will remain confident” (vs. 3).

This is a decision and a total way of life for David. He is focused on God and clings to Him with what we might call “naked faith”. However, fear may not go away and stay away the first time you tell it to get lost! It’s been said that you can bar the door, but fear can still climb in the window (Stephen Cole). Even David sounds confident in verse 3 but in verse 9 he appears somewhat anxious again. So….he redirects his focus to the Lord (vs. 10-14).

David’s Four-Step Approach

You too can follow David’s 4 step approach: (1) Turn to God and affirm your faith in Him alone (vs. 1-6); (2) Focus on the Lord and who he is: “my light, fortress, and protector from danger” (vs. 1); (3) When fear comes back, refocus on the Lord through prayer (vs. 7-12); (4) Continue to reaffirm your faith and confidence in God (vs. 13-14). I’ve heard it said that God will either calm the storm or he will calm me!

Other Ways to Deal with Fear

It is also helpful to remember how God has helped you in the past. Speaking the name of Jesus out loud can also help you overcome fear. The disciples said, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name” (Luke 10:17, NLT). And Jesus himself told us, “Ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14, NLT).

Did you know if you avoid what makes you afraid, it only magnifies your fear? It gets larger and larger! But, if you face it head-on with God’s power, it helps it subside. It’s also helpful to share your fears with others. Usually, speaking your feelings helps minimize your fear. If you need additional help with your fears, call the Samaritan Hotline at (212) 673-3000, available 24 hours a day.

Another helpful technique is to put your hand on the place in your body where you’re experiencing fear and allow yourself to simply “feel the feeling”. Acknowledge your fear by saying, “I am feeling afraid”. Hold your hand on your body until you feel the fear dissipate and then offer it to Jesus. Also, fear and anxiety cause us to begin shallow breathing. As soon as you feel fearful, blow out all the air in your chest and then breathe in slowly and deeply. This will have a calming effect on you.

Always remember, practice makes perfect! If you practice letting go of your fear, it will become easier in time. Overcoming fear is possible as you follow the ideas above and the four steps of David (in Psalm 27). God is bigger than any fear in your life and he’s “in the boat” with you!

Anxiety Relief

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Do you ever need some Anxiety Relief? Well, you are not alone. When Jesus indicated that he wanted to feed a crowd of 4,000, the disciples react out of anxiety, abandoning their rational thinking. (You can read this story in Mark 8:1-9). You might say that the disciples needed some Anxiety Relief!

So what happens when a person gets anxious and overly concerned? First, the emotional and logical parts of our brain disconnect when we experience a crisis or trauma. This kind of stressor then causes feelings of anxiety. Once we become anxious it becomes easy for our ‘responses’ to become ‘reactions’ because we aren’t functioning from both sides of our brain (emotional & logical).

Satan uses stress, trauma, and hurtful situations to form “lies” in our mind that are not true. Keith Strohm’s book, “The Ten Biggest Lies of the Enemy”, lists what he believes are the most common lies: I am alone, I can only count on myself, God is not a good Father, The Devil is as powerful as God, Following God means giving up happiness, God is powerless to help me, I am so broken and damaged that there’s no hope for me, I am meant to suffer, I have to be perfect to earn God’s love, and I am insignificant.

 Are you aware that anxiety shares the same Latin word as anger? It is translated, “to choke”. Anxiety chokes and limits our life, creating uncertainty. It interferes with our ability to think clearly and objectively (Peter Steinke).

Neurologist Paul MacLean explains the brain as a three-tiered process with rational, emotional, and survival (automatic) processes. Our rational/thinking capacity encompasses 85% of the brain, leaving only 15% for our emotional and automatic responses. On top of that, the emotional and automatic response areas have many links flowing from them, while the rational links are sparse. So when our emotions build up, they are like an aerosol can that gets too hot. They explode and we ‘react’ instead of responding rationally.

Feelings of anxiety and fear not only cause us to over-react, but to lose touch with our logical thinking? You couple that with feelings of doubt and unbelief and you begin to understand the response of the disciples in Mark 8. So it is essential that we learn some ways to return ourselves to a place of peace. Let me offer you some ideas for Anxiety Relief when you’re feeling anxious.

In my book, Peace for Anxious Times, I give you some ideas for managing your anxiety (chapter 5). This involves practices like Prayer & Meditation; Repeating Bible verses to yourself; Breathing techniques; Breath prayers; Vitamin B & Magnesium; Music; Physical Exercise; the Hand Position exercise; An Attitude of Gratitude (i.e. praise & thankfulness); Restful sleep; Essential oils (Lavender, basil, bergamot, geranium, and Roman chamomile), and herbal teas (Chamomile, Peppermint, Lemon Balm, and Passionflower).

I find it helpful to start my day connecting with God. It helps me have the right mindset for the day ahead. I’ve also found it beneficial to say the words of Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”

Whenever you are anxious, I hope you will try some of these ideas for Anxiety Relief and remember the words of Philippians 4:6-7. In this scripture, God has promised that his peace will stand guard over your heart and mind if you do three things: (1) Pray (which connects you to God), (2) make your requests known to God (your specific needs), and (3) offer him words of thanks. All of these things will take your mind off of your stress/anxiety and refocus it on God (your powerful resource)! So bring on the Anxiety Relief!

 Note: This is the 3rd blog in a series concerning this miracle. My last 2 blogs will give you more information about this miracle.]