Feeling Stuck

I keep thinking about everything that has happened
since people started becoming ill; the grief of the
families whose loved ones have died, the sacrifices
of health care workers and others who are trying to
save people, the people who have lost their jobs and
can’t buy food or pay for their home.

I want to help, but I feel like I’m stuck in
a nightmare.

The pain and losses of COVID-19 are very real and
will have a significant impact on each of us. It’s good
to grieve the losses and to care about the suffering
and needs of the people around us. But if we allow
the feelings of loss and anxiety about our present
to overwhelm us, we may feel trapped and anxious.

We may lose hope for a better tomorrow.

Jesus offers another option. He taught his disciples how
to live without becoming overwhelmed by worry when
they were in difficult circumstances and how to focus their
thoughts in a better direction.

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or
‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For the pagans run after all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:31–33

From that perspective, Jesus taught them how to pray
about living while seeking God’s kingdom.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9–13

No matter how bad our circumstances are, God wants
us to be his partners in doing his will on earth.

Think about one thing that you can focus
on today; something that will help you
move from having paralyzing thoughts
to living in the love, goodness, and hope
of God’s kingdom on earth.