As you know (no doubt), all of us have been living in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID) epidemic in some way or another. Life has changed in different ways for all of us. If you are like me and you were already spending much of your time at home, there have only been changes in the workplace and any trip to the store. One beneficial change with our gardening center here locally is that it is now possible to order plants and have them delivered to your home – it was fantastic. I didn’t have to go anywhere, but I could still get the plants I wanted. This is a change that I hope will continue after the epidemic is over.
Despite the fact that we know so much more about the virus now, some individuals still say that it isn’t over – with this new strain, for example. I’m unsure of what to believe about this new strain, but I do know that Jesus is omniscient (ever-present) and He is in control.
Matthew 6:25 – 34 (New American Standard Bible) writes: “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
This is true – each day does indeed have enough trouble of its own! Food and clothing are important things to think about, but not to worry about – the Lord will provide for us. I found an article on WebMD titled “How Worrying Affects Your Body”. (Bhandari, MD, Smitha, WebMD, How Worrying Affects Your Body, Published September 20, 2020, https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/how-worrying-affects-your-body) It states that worry can cause blood sugar levels to rise and can also increase stress among several other things.
“The hormones also cause physical reactions such as:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Fast heartbeat
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Inability to concentrate
- Irritability
- Muscle aches
- Muscle tension
- Nausea
- Nervous energy
- Rapid breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Trembling and twitching
When the excessive fuel in the blood isn’t used for physical activities, the chronic anxiety and outpouring of stress hormones can have serious physical consequences, including:
- Suppression of the immune system
- Digestive disorders
- Muscle tension
- Short-term memory loss
- Premature coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
If excessive worrying and high anxiety go untreated, they can lead to depression and even suicidal thoughts.”
No one wants any of that – except maybe short-term memory loss. Any of us who have a traumatic brain injury already face short-term memory loss, so that isn’t really a change. 🙂 None of the other symptoms of worry are very positive though.
Jesus already has died for us and redeemed us of our sins. If we believe in Him as Lord and Savior, he will be with us – always. He will always have your back.
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