Corona fatigue?

Hi everyone, happy New Year to you! I wish you and your loved ones much joy, inner peace and good health, especially in spite of the current situation. I know many of us were hoping that we wouldn't still be in this position come the start of the new year, that this global pandemic would have all gone away by now, but here we are. A friend of mine recently said to me, "I really don't know how I've survived working from home for the past nine months!". If you had told me a few years ago that she or I would be complaining about an opportunity to work from home, I wouldn't have believed you! For me, that was a most desirable way to work, but here we are now, many of us wishing to go back into the office to work after what seems like a lifetime of Zoom calls and physical distancing.

For a growing majority of us, we are fed up with this whole COVID situation and really can't wait for it to be all over. Thankfully, a glimmer of hope has come in the form of the vaccines currently being rolled out. We now have three vaccines approved in the UK and the aim is to vaccinate the most vulnerable by mid-February and, as I understand it, the vast majority of the target priority population by Spring/Summer this year. Yes, this pandemic has been (and still is) frustrating, scary, mind-numbingly boring in some cases, and devastating to many families, businesses and economies. You may have lost or seen your income significantly diminished, been ill yourself or even lost loved ones. It may or may not feel like it, but it's a blessing that you are still here reading this blogpost. For me, one thing that has kept me going through these unprecedented times is to focus on the many blessings the pandemic has brought with it. "Did you just say blessings, crazy lady?", I can almost hear you think. YES! Remember the saying: Every cloud has a silver lining? 

For one, this corona thing has brought to the forefront of many people's minds the brevity of life and the importance of family, friends, kindness, self-care and that sort of thing. People are taking more time out to look after themselves and to focus on loved ones. Many people find themselves taking walks instead of driving due to lockdown restrictions and are therefore noticing more things around them (like beautiful, resilient flowers pushing through pavement cracks in the winter cold and the elderly lady across the road who lives alone). The world has literally been forced to slow down and it's not all bad.

I'm currently reading a devotional titled Christ > Corona on the YouVersion Bible app (if you've never heard of the app, what rock are you living under?!😀). More seriously, I'd highly recommend that you download it onto your phone. It's got hundreds of daily devotionals, amazing videos and so many Bible versions, you're bound to find at least one that you can read easily and relate to. It's even got the PCM [Nigerian Pidgin English] version, which I absolutely love and cracks me up each time! The devotional author highlights ten blessings of coronavirus, including the one I've mentioned above about the increased awareness of our mortality, and therefore, changes in perspective. Other benefits he mentions include gratitude. Gratitude for things that previously went unnoticed: doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers who put their own health at risk every day to care for others, teachers who miraculously get dozens of children to focus and learn day in day out without losing their sanity, supermarket staff working extra hours to ensure that the shelves are well-stocked with our regular supplies, including toilet rolls. I would add to this list the explosion and increased availability of communication technology induced by COVID-19. What a joy to be able to pick up my mobile and with one screen touch, see and talk to my mum who's over 3,000 miles away (without paying an extra penny)!

While this pestilence may hang around for a little while longer, I am assured that come rain come shine, come corona or any future pandemic, God's love for me will always be there. The Bible reassures me that 'nothing shall separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus' [Romans 8:38-39]. Do you know that God has that same unrivalled love for you? I listen to the news and see the rising infection figures and death tolls, just like you most probably do. I see videos of people storming the US Capitol and causing damage in support of their infamous, tweeting, outgoing president. Our world has definitely gone mad! Quite frankly, I don't think it will ever be "normal" again, but the one thing I'm certain of is this: that my Heavenly Father, the Creator of the whole universe, the One who nothing takes by surprise and 'works out all things together for my good because I love Him and have been called according to His purpose for me', is firmly in charge and knew the outcome of all this even before it all began. Whenever fear and worry try to creep in, I remind myself that "He's got my back". I speak to my Constant Friend and He always calms my heart with His peace which is beyond anything we can understand [Philippians 4:6-7]. And guess what? He offers you the same, if you would accept His invitation to get to know Him. He wants to be your Friend, too. Your Go-To-When-I'm-Stressed. [Revelation 3:20]

Put your trust in the one Person who never changes, has always been and will always be there for you. Throughout our history on Planet Earth, this equation has never once been proven wrong:

Christ > _____________

Don't you worry, Christ > Corona. And He loves you!