Oct 22nd, 2020: Trusting God...

 

 A lot is happening these days. We can feel the angst among many people. I can feel that within my immediate family as we learn that the border between the US and Canada is not going to be open any time soon. Some of my siblings have not been able to visit my dad for almost eight months. That has been unsettling for us. We have many questions, and we don't know how to trust the answers that the authority has given us. The more this pandemic goes on, the more we might need to trust God instead of the experts. What does that mean?


Understanding our anxiety: it comes from our lack of control over our environment. We have less control whenever we have to be out and about these days. Some people get mad because they fail to understand what is going on with all of the new regulations. I had to wait "in line" in my car last week when I had to get some medical tests done. The young lady was excited and kept raising her voice whenever she needed to talk to someone. That raised the anxiety level of some seniors.

Acknowledging our emotions: the sooner we can name our emotions the better we are during this time. Combine prayers with our self-talk so that we might feel God's presence when we are emotional. It is interesting to discover that as soon as we are able to acknowledge our emotions, we might be able to rest in God's presence. Living in denial during this time is more damaging to our emotional health than we know it. Find some trust friends and pray for one another as a way to invite God to be present with us.

Remembering how God has been walking with us: It takes time, but it is not impossible to remember how God has been part of our lives. Sometimes we need to replace uncertainties with our memories of certainties. God is the same God of the past and the present. It is how we let God be God in our misery and doubt. Learning to trust God in the face of challenges and threats is a growing experience in our faith. It does require disciplines and patience.

So I am waiting by faith that I will be able to come to see dad soon because Montreal is now a hot zone of Covid-19. Nursing homes have scaled down visitation privileges to almost the same level in April.

Colossians 1: 17
"He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

(Picture from Eva L)

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