Jeannie Waters

Ten Ways to Narrow the Social Distancing Gap

Hidden Pandemic Treasures

“Look what I found,” my husband said, holding up hidden treasure he discovered amid the cleaning products under the sink.

“That’s amazing,” I exclaimed, “I thought we were out, Honey, but they were there all along.”

We scored not one, but two—drum roll please—containers of disinfectant wipes, rare commodities since COVID-19 began. Online and in-store searches had left us empty-handed and critical of people who hoarded for profiteering.

Father, forgive me for a critical spirit, and remind me to trust You alone for my needs.

On the short walk from the kitchen to the deck, I wondered if other blessings were hidden.

Which treasures from God have been there all along but need to be shared? Why did God bless me? What if I used my blessings for His glory and the good of others? How could I help those who are suffering from current conditions?

What a shame to hoard God-given provisions that others lack.

These verses catapulted me to action:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
ESV

Some have lost loved ones.

I remember how it feels to lose a parent, and some of my friends are struggling with the death of a family member. I can share God’s comfort in a call or card.

Some have lost income.

My husband once suffered job loss through no fault of his own. In that hard season, God provided. I know a lady who missed work for two months. We could offer a small gift and Bible verses about the hope God gives.

Some are ill or fearful.

God helped me care for my mom when she was sick. I’ll pray for and share encouraging words with those who are sick or fearful or caring for a loved one.

Some are anxious or regretting decisions they made.

We’ve all been there. Would a devotional or the link to an online devotional site offer God’s peace through His Word?

Instead of hoarding the blessings of God, how can we share with others as the coronavirus lingers?

Does someone you know need…

a friend?
an encouraging call?
a meal or monetary gift?
help with shopping or lawn care?
a smile and a bouquet of flowers from your yard?

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?”
James 2:14-16 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well"—but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
ESV

Are you, like me, more thankful than ever for daily supplies like food, water, and even disinfectants and hand sanitizer? Even more amazing than those are the myriad of other blessings God provides, such as salvation, comfort, peace, encouragement, and hope.

Perhaps you’ll join me as I inventory hidden treasures—all blessings of God—and ask Him to show me how to share with someone else during the pandemic.

Comfort My Soul

It was my fault.

Questions swirled as I drove to the top of the Interstate exit ramp toward the hospital to visit my eighty-three-year-old widowed mom. “Congestive heart failure” rang in my ears.

Will Mama be safe living alone? Would she move in with us? Will the new meds help?

Deep in thought, I steered my Camry the wrong way onto a one-way street—straight into the headlights of a young man’s car.

I stared through the cracked windshield in disbelief. Thoughts flashed like lightning: I went the wrong way! Is he hurt? Why isn’t he getting out? It’s my fault. What should I do?

Guilt and fear captured me. My head throbbed in rhythm with my heart.

I cried, “Oh, please help me, Father God. Look what I did. Please let that man be okay. Help me, Father.”

Although I stood on wobbly legs when I exited the car, a sense of calmness soothed me. While I watched the other driver and the policeman who observed the accident walk toward me, my heavenly Father whispered assurance as if to say, “I am here. All is well.”

The external situation did not change. Traffic backed up and people gawked. My car, pointed in the opposite direction of the one-way arrow, announced, “It was her fault.” Deep inside, something did change. Peace replaced panic because of the One who stood beside me.

God didn’t arrive at the scene of the crash; He was there all along, ready to tend my troubled state. The balm of His presence relieved the flames of fear that engulfed me.

Months later, when my mother met Jesus face-to-face, the Lord soothed my heart again. Since the accident and Mama’s death, I’ve thanked God numerous times for His relief and answered prayer. When troubling news or a challenge careens down mental streets threatening to crash into my contentment, I often confess, “Father, I need You. Please help me.”

When I experience His willingness to exchange my unrest for His solace, I proclaim,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation ...”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NKJV

The author of Psalm 66 also remembered the way God nurtured his soul. Perhaps he yearned to shout with joy and beckon those he knew to listen when he wrote,

“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul.”
Psalms 66:16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NKJV

Maybe the psalmist recalled Yahweh’s peace in fearful times or deliverance when enemies advanced. Surely, like us, he encountered daily challenges which prompted him to testify of God’s care.

Like the psalm writer, in the face of trials and challenges, believers can turn down the one-way street of prayer to seek the “God of all comfort.” Regardless of the roadblocks we face or the errors of our ways, His consolations are limitless.

We could compose our own song of praise in a journal or in prayer to thank God for caring for our souls. What do you remember about the times God cared for you? Do you need His reassurance today? Like the gel of an aloe plant relieves sunburned skin, the balm of divine comfort quiets anxious hearts.

The Undertow of Pandemic Fear

The undertow at our favorite childhood beach pulled my little brother, Ed, under the water and further from the shore. Inside the vicious swirl of water, Betty, an older cousin, fought to free Ed from the monster’s grasp.

Nearby sunbathers and swimmers ignored Betty’s cry for rescue assistance because the water did not appear to be deep. How could they be drowning?

A young man gazing at the ocean from his second-floor apartment window spotted my loved ones. Due to his vantage point, he recognized their peril in the undertow. He ran down the stairs, across the sand, and into the salty water. After swimming a short distance, he gripped my brother’s shoulders and yanked him from the water’s grasp. With panic in his eyes, Ed clung to the stranger—the one who saw the situation from above the beach and saved my brother’s life.

As we navigate the murky waters of coronavirus, a vicious spiritual enemy threatens to ensnare us in a riptide of panic. Try as we might, we cannot escape the pandemic. Although health professionals and government officials work as lifeguards to thwart the invisible enemy’s threat of illness and economic ruin, they offer only a measure of protection.

No human effort can turn fear into peace.

The good news is God sees our condition from the highest vantage point and offers rescue. Life’s circumstances sometimes churn like dreadful, stormy seas, but God extends His hand to offer peace. For those who do not know Christ yet, He offers forgiveness of sin and a personal relationship with Him now and throughout eternity (

OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

).

To believers, Jesus holds out His hand to offer peace and freedom from viral waves of distress:

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
John 14:27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NASB

When COVID-19 news and economic woes assail us, how can we walk in victory during frightening times and share God’s peace with others?

There are numerous Bible passages that instruct us to “fear not.” When we study those, as well as other verses, and commit some to memory, God helps us recall His truths and apply them to daily challenges. Recording our anxieties in a journal and discussing them with God as we pray remind us,

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 NASB

After praying for others who struggle with worry, we can call or mail a note with Scripture to encourage them. When we share personal examples of God’s victory over fear, we demonstrate the value of trusting Him.

God offers peace to defeat the undertow of pandemic fear, and He allows us to share His truths with others. How can we extend His lifeline to someone this week?

Trail Tips for Troublesome Days

My leg muscles screamed in protest as I gasped for breath and pulled myself upward to the next rest bench on the mountain trail. I promised myself, Girlfriend, you WILL be in better shape next year! Can you identify?

For several years, our family of four participated in a volksmarch, a German term for “people’s walk.” Beginning at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail near Helen, Georgia, we walked only five kilometers, but with steep inclines, the distance seemed much further. At the finish line, with relief and perspiration, we accepted our medals as family tradition mementos.

Do you have days that feel like an arduous walk up a mountain and others that are more like a leisurely stroll? I do. On those troublesome days, challenges can feel like rocks in our backpack, slowing progress and discouraging us.

The verb walk in the Bible describes the daily life and behavior of one who has accepted Christ as Savior. Scripture teaches that Christians should align their actions with God’s Word.

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.”
Colossians 2:6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
(ESV)

Paul prayed that believers would

“... walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ...”
Colossians 1:10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
(ESV)

How can we live up to Paul’s description as we navigate the steep inclines of daily difficulties? Consider the following:

Look for markers in the Bible.

On the Appalachian Trail, arrowed signs pointed the way and prevented error when undergrowth obscured forks in the trail. The Bible is like a collection of markers, guiding us in God’s way. Bible study steadies and steers us when trials arise on those “mountain trail” days.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
(ESV)

Lean on the Lord in prayer.

My walking stick worked like a lever to push me up the mountain when weak muscles faltered. Communication with God in prayer strengthens us when we meet roadblocks and encounter difficulties. Having an ongoing prayer conversation with God throughout the day not only helps us enjoy His presence but also yields His peace and wisdom to bolster us to the next level on the journey.

“... do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Philippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
(ESV)

Listen to fellow Christ-followers.

Although I read the signs and used a walking stick, I also needed my family’s encouragement, and at some points, a literal push over the next ridge. Asking for help can be humbling, yet other Christians can remind us of biblical truth and the fact that God is always with us, even on hard days. Have you received encouragement from fellow believers?

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
(ESV)

How is your walk today? Perhaps printing the verses above on cards and keeping them handy will help in troublesome times. When a day’s journey feels like a steep mountain hike, turn the day into an adventure with God by searching for His direction in the Bible and in prayer as you seek encouragement from fellow hikers.

Jeannie

Waters

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