Our best articles probably come from the mail.
And we’d like to know: what have been your coronavirus experiences? Have you felt something spiritual? Are you fatigued — tired of the whole thing? Does something unusual seem to be sapping your energy or otherwise affecting you, differently? Have you wondered if you had the virus yourself?
Most are mentioning just that: tiredness. We’re tired of the news. We’re tired trying to figure out what this thing is. We’re tired of all the politics. We’re tired of wondering if we can get a haircut or a beauty appointment. We’re tired of trying to figure out what we should do when we go wherever we venture and who to associate with and how close. We’re tired of feeling confined. We’re tired of anticipating what will occur next — where the world is headed. Is it real? Is it exaggerated?
When saints were tired, they energized themselves through prayer. There is energy in faith. There is the power of the Holy Spirit. Many were those holy men and women who because they prayed so much could get by with very few hours of sleep.
Prayer is the antidote for weariness. It is also the antidote for wariness. It is the antidote for cynicism. It is what guards against negativity. It loosens us from the grip of the world, which wrings its collective hands because it lacks faith.
God guides us. He will shepherd us through. No fear is felt with Him. And so the simple answer to both apprehension and fatigue is to get all the closer to Jesus.
And to keep the evil one — the depleting one, the discouraging one, the antagonizing one, the fear-inspiring one, the confusing one — at bay. It is an excellent time to read Scripture. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Proverbs 18:10: “The Name of the Lord is a strong power; the righteous run into it and are safe. Nehemiah 8:10: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.” Philippians 4:10: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
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[Footnote from the mailbag, Timothy Gehringer:
“This occurred in early March I don’t remember the exact date. I live in rural Howard County Maryland. I was driving to work about 6:45 a.m. After pulling out of my driveway I felt this overwhelming darkness all around me as I was driving. I remember saying to myself what is going on, what is this, I knew it was malevolent. The morning felt and looked exceptionally dark and lifeless. Hard to explain. The strangest thing happened that evening when I got home. My wife who leaves before I do asked me if I felt that presence of darkness. I said I did but where she felt it was farther from our home, the even stranger thing was she called her friend on her way home from work, who lives down the street from us, and she described the same malevolent force in the same place as my wife did. I will also say that the dark foreboding has only recently abated from the area; some mornings I would look out and it felt like I was staring into an abyss.
