We have all entered a world of isolation. We are all isolated from social gatherings, family, friends, and from doing things that were once second nature for us. No long can we just drive over to our friend’s house or go to our favorite restaurant. We are all confined to our homes and the people we live with there. All of our daily lives have drastically changed and may never be the same.
These aspects have altered our way of life, which could have a significant impact on not just our emotional, mental, and physical health, but more importantly, our spiritual health. I can easily see the physical changes that have occurred from shelter-in-place. I can also measure my current emotional and mental health by journaling and reflecting. But how do you examine your spiritual health? Is it counting how many times you pray in a day, how many times you do or do not pick up your bible, how long you do or do not read your bible?
During this pandemic, I have found that losing your grip on or letting your faith deteriorate is much easier to do than other aspects of our lives. We see it as something that can be put on the backburner and come back to later while we take care of our physical, mental, and emotional health. However, to have a truly life, we must see faith and the Word of God as the cure and the source of true health in all aspects of our lives. As it says in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Therefore, we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Our bodies will not last forever, but our spirits will. Which should I be investing more of my time and energy into? Should I be pouring all I have into something that inevitably withers with age, or something that can be renewed with each passing day? This is not an easy journey and is nearly impossible to conquer such a task without a community to support you and Bible journaling as a method to destress.
Even for those caring for their physical health find communities of like-minded people to encourage and push them forward in their goals. If we want to continue growing spiritually and in our faith during this time, we must also find a like-minded community to spur us on towards knowing God and knowing his word. 1 Corinthians 15:33 speaks to the fact that the people we surround ourselves with determine who we can become in the future. If we want to achieve a life of faith that is recognized by God, we must first know what kind of faith God wants from us.
This only comes from knowing his will, which is hidden in his word. His will is for us to live eternally by knowing the true God and the one he sent (John 17:3). In a time where we are all physically isolated from each other, lets create a strong community of believers who can help each other persevere and hold onto our faith.
