Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68-69
I have been thinking lately about how pervasive the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been not only in the United States, but all over the globe. I can only speak directly about what I have seen in the United States, but I want to encourage my readers around the world to consider the changes experienced in your own country, and to share them in this space.
As a result of the pandemic, we have had landmark changes in business, education, politics, health care, religious systems of worship, and how we understand mental health. While I am not an expert on these subjects, I do have a viewpoint on how they interconnect. It has been fascinating, and a bit scary I might add.
When businesses were shutting down early in the crisis, the health care situation was dire indeed. Health care workers could not get enough protective equipment (PPE’S), and some overburdened hospitals even resorted to the use of plastic trash bags as gowns. Morgues in New York were being overrun with bodies. We saw scenes from around the world where coffins could not be made fast enough. Truly, it looked like a scene from a bad sci-fi movie.
Almost immediately, there was pushback about the closing of businesses, churches, and schools. A political rift that had been running under the surface bloomed into a national cleft that remains open today.
I think a crisis like COVID-19 often exposes weaknesses that are already in the system. People who already were struggling a bit with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression were pushed into a crisis state. The increased stress of isolation from others, uncertainty of finances, and worry over very disturbing political news all conspired to spotlight an increase in teen suicide attempts and completions.
Churches found that attendance after the masking and crowd sanctions were lifted have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. In short, a trend toward lower church attendance was accelerated far beyond expectations.
What does this mean? I think the pandemic simply brought to the surface issues that had been simmering for a long time. When the crisis hit, the rifts became more pronounced.
Should we lose hope? No. This could be a good wake-up call to us that our salvation is not in political solutions or affiliations. Our hope is in our position toward God- humble reflection that we are dependent upon him alone for salvation and true peace.
Prayer: Lord, hear us as we look to you as our salvation, Amen
Reflections of a Counselor 