By Dr. Karen Baker, Pastor
COVID-19 has become a part of our daily lives. No one really understood how horrific and deadly this virus was until people started dying rapidly. It is by the grace of God that we are still here. We must constantly remember who we are and who’s we are. We are children of the Most High God. God gives us wisdom knowledge and understanding. We must use what God has given us to protect our home, our family, and our friends.
COVID-19 has change life as we know it. Some towns, cities, and states are starting to re-open business and public areas. Our new normal has taken us to a place where we have to know how to protect ourselves from this virus.
Protect yourself:
1. Social distance and stay 6 feet away from anyone not living with you.
2. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds frequently throughout the day.
3. Wear a face mask if it protects others.
4. Practice safe grocery shopping and food handling.
5. Continue to practice stress relief.
Plan for the unthinkable and put your trust in God. Don’t draw away from the church, draw forward toward the church. We must keep our faith in God.
Covid- 19 has caused many of us to become stressed, overwhelmed, isolated, and traumatic. There are five verses that can help us to prepare for our new normal and move forward.
1. Ephesians 4: 2 Extend the grace you receive.
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
– Look for ways to serve and help others.
– Encourage others to make their transition easier
2. Micah 6:8 Remember what hasn’t changed.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”.
– We are still called to do justice, and to protect the vulnerable.
- keep it peaceful presence and a caring heart
3. Philippians 4:9 Please take the good with you.
“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. The God of peace will be with you.“
– Do what is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.
3. II Corinthians 7:10 Bring your regrets to life.
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.“
– We must deal with any regretful habits we may have encountered. (TV binging, working late, living on your phone)
–take them to God, processed them, find forgiveness, and move forward – whether it’s about things we did, or what we left undone, make space to process regretful thoughts.
4. I John 4:18 Approach anxieties with Godly wisdom.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love“
– ask God to help you to approach any anxieties with Godly wisdom.
There are plenty of unknowns and endless “what if’s” that threaten to define this season, but God’s love drives out fear and helps us to respond with his wisdom.
We have found in our new normal that we need to keep moving forward. We have developed better-praying habits and routines. We are less busy and many people are working from home. We find ourselves more focused on what God wants us to do. Some of us have developed exercise schedules and we are reading more books. The pandemic has helped us to develop good habits and has drawn us closer to God. Continue to walk in your new normal and move forward.
About the Author
Dr. Karen L. Baker, Sr. Pastor of
Kingdom Builders of Faith
Dr. Baker has been in ministry for 28 years. She is a Transformational Life Coach. Using a Christian base, her goal is to help others to find what God has placed in them, so they will know their purpose and accomplish their goals. She can be reached at kingdombuildersoffaith@yahoo.com.
John 3:16, 17 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."