I remember thinking at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, that going into quarantine is seriously going to mess with some people’s minds. To some, this may not have crossed your minds because mental illness is not something you have had to deal with (and praise God for that!). However, for others, this thought may have been an overwhelming and quickly approaching truth.
As someone who has suffered from depression for several years, I instantly started to think of the rise in mental health issues that were likely to occur. However, having my depression relatively under control for the past year, I did not think of myself as one who would be affected.
Boy oh boy was I wrong.
Things began to go downhill, and though I’m on the uphill now (all glory be to God), I was stuck in a ditch for a hot minute there. That is not really the point though. The point is, amongst the chaos of your current situation, whether it be depression, a crappy job, an unhappy relationship, or whether it be racial injustice, COVID-19 or any of the other tragic global issues the world is facing, God is always with us (Joshua 1:9). Beginning, middle and end.
He sees your pain and He hears your cry (Psalm 56:8-9). And though right now, with all that is going on in the world, it may not feel like He is. He does.
On several occasions, with tears streaming down my face, I prayed, begged even, that God might take the pain away and reveal to me why I must endure this hardship. The answer to these prayers was never revealed to me at the moment. It is only ever once I am fully out of the darkness that I see how God was working. Ultimately, that is why I am sharing this.
Because right now your prayers may not feel heard, but I urge you to keep praying. Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18), pray for peace and justice, pray for your enemies, and pray for the leaders of this world.
In the current climate, these might seem like big things to be praying for, and I understand that, and often my faith also is not strong enough. However, my God is a big God, bigger than these issues, and I am learning each day to put my trust in Him. Pray about it, and let God do the rest.
WRITER: Kerrilea Stanton, attends Lilydale Church (Vic).