COVID: Deep Breath. Now How Do I Restore My Soul?

It was WAR

Maybe you haven’t thought of COVID in these terms, but honestly. We truly have survived a war. It was not just a war against a powerful virus, but a war attempting to destroy our overall health – spiritual, physical, mental, emotional. Yes, it can indeed be classified as war. The similarities?

We faced a very real enemy that could potentially kill us
We needed to use and wear protective battle gear – face masks, gloves, sanitizers
We’ve applied a defensive weapon: vaccines
Some lost their lives, others live with permanent physical complications, and we probably all experienced some measure of mental and emotional difficulties
PTSD from this pandemic is a reality for far too many

Now. We need to pro-actively work on restoring our souls:

Go where you hear only “the quiet”*
The quiet = what your soul needs to actively listen
It may be at your kitchen table. On a walk. Or in the shade of a tree in your yard
Find/go to a place where you can be still….and hear God’s voice

Possible needs: a bible, another book that speaks to your heart, journal, pen
Determine to connect with your God
Go with a plan for your time

You may have: trouble focusing, distractions, interruptions, feel “out of sync”
Give yourself grace!
Just re-start…begin again…
Read/journal/pray/sing until something speaks to your heart

Repeat as necessary…regularly…as often as you can…with a commitment and determination

*If you go to a quiet place, but your mind is still racing, what do you do then? This is not easily done, and is somewhat a result of diligent practice and focus. I (Carolyn) repeat my memorized verses to calm my mind; I (Craig) read Scripture, journal, and pray to slow my racing thoughts. But know that both of us acknowledge this is a constant battle.

Questions to ask yourself regarding emotional and spiritual health:

(Please evaluate and answer these with genuine transparency; these questions will be of help to you only if you can be honest with yourself…with your God.)

Do I still have unexpressed emotions? Residual anger? Do I have someone I can be honest with, or do I need to see a professional counsellor?

Am I better managing my weaknesses? How or how not?

Have I stopped trying to control in an effort to combat feeling out of control? What am I still attempting to do that’s ultimately a waste of mental and emotional energy?

Do I still feel excessively tired and weary? Am I sleeping better?

Am I seeing any improvement in my ability to focus and concentrate?

Am I practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading the Word, meeting with fellow believers, memorizing Scripture, fasting?

Do I use a journal to write out my reflections, prayers, thoughts and feelings? If not, is this the time that I should begin doing so?

Have I evaluated my relationships? Are there any family/friends I need to grant forgiveness to….or ask for forgiveness from?

What fears am I still battling? What do I need to do to truly put these in God’s hands?

Is there anything that I need to “have out” with God? Am I harboring any hurt? What do I need to talk about with my God in a totally transparent way?

In what ways do I need to better trust my God? Do I have a verse(s) that directly speaks to trusting him?

Questions for us to consider as a couple:

Which of the above questions speaks to my heart in how it ultimately affects us?
Be specific for what that looks like in our lives.

How can we best support one another?
What can I provide for you? What do I need from you?

How could Paul say that he was content, even when in prison? Because Paul knew that the most important “world” was inward: the Kingdom in his heart. That Kingdom “can’t be shaken,” there “the Lord is our shepherd and we shall not want,” and there he “restores our souls.” You will never find complete peace, acceptance, restoration, justice or happiness in this world – never. We’ve got to look inward.

God is waiting. With open arms.

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