Helpful tips on keeping your soul healthy during the COVID-19 lockdown. The worldwide pandemic we are all finding ourselves in has had a profound effect on all us on every possible level. One particular effect is that it is a strangely unifying experience. When was the last time in history that everyone, even down to an individual level, was affected by something like this?
We are all affected by the same storm though we might find ourselves in different boats. Your life situation but mostly your chosen outlook on life will determine how you deal with the current situation. We can all agree though, that this has impacted us like nothing else ever has and probably never will in the future.
Everything Seems Uncertain
Everything seems uncertain; not only the uncertainty of our health but the loss of income, potential loss of a job, the loss of close contact and connection with family and friends, uncertainty of future study programs, how, where and when to study, change of wedding plans, big birthday plans and other events that were meant to be positive and bring joy.
Dreams for the future whether on a small or large scale now suddenly seems to be too uncertain and not readily within reach. The list is endless, but whatever it is for you, there is someone else going through the exact same thing as you.
The Problems We Face Keeping Our Souls Healthy
The pandemic unsettles our mind; it unsettles our soul on a deeper level than many of us understand and it manifests itself in various forms such as grief, anxiety, loneliness, mistrust and a profound sense of powerlessness. This is not an exhaustive list but just a few examples of how sudden change and uncertainty can affect us.
The government’s health-directed isolation can magnify the life-situation you are finding yourself in. If you are living alone you might find yourself really lonely these days as we cannot meet up. If you struggle with anxiety you might find yourself even more overwhelmed because of the fear of the corona-virus. If you struggle with self-discipline you might find yourself turning the days upside down. Sometimes our minds really put us to the test. Fear robs us of the ability to think rationally and to act in a rational way and it limits us in experiencing a lot of the very things we need particularly in a time like this.
Fear prevents trust, love, mercy, forgiveness, self-control, peace and so much more. We worry because we think that by doing that we are protecting ourselves, though what we are doing is limiting ourselves in really living life to the full. Our sleep gets affected, our ability to give to others, be kind, be loving and be concerned for our neighbour is suddenly disrupted. And our fears affect our physical health as well and can exacerbate existing chronic pains, chronic illness and addictions and our overall well-being. The more we worry the more affected our immune system will be, because of the stress it puts on our bodies.
It seems like a never-ending spiral of negative issues and it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But at this time when we are doing life apart, we have a great opportunity to be shaped together.
Breaking The Cycle Of Worry & Fear To Keep Your Soul Healthy
- So how do we break these negative cycles?
- How do we keep our souls healthy in the middle of this storm?
- How do we strengthen our souls and overcome our fear, anxiety and sense of powerlessness?
- How do we find healing, happiness and hope?
We want to be able to look back on this time with a sense of having overcome and with peace in our hearts and minds. I think most of us can agree that it has really put priorities into perspective, but the mental fight is still a real battle and the pain a lot of us feel is very real.
Looking To Jesus Is The Way To Keep Your Soul Healthy
Interestingly as we look to Jesus for answers we realise that he often withdrew to solitary and lonely places to find refuge (Mark 1:35). The Greek word – eremos – indicates something desolate, deserted, lonely. When Jesus needed rest he found solace in places others would have seen as deserted wasteland. He looked to isolation for peace and renewal. Some of us have a hard time with isolation because it somehow forces us to be confronted with ourselves and take responsibility for our outlook and priorities, something that can easily be hidden in the business of everyday life.
The places Jesus sought out gives us not only a physical description but as the word “lonely” is a universal word it also speaks to the heart. What you put your hope in will direct you on your path. Our way of thinking and how we control it and how we choose to think will have a profound impact on how we deal with whatever issue we are dealing with.
The mind has a great ability to transform itself due to its neuroplasticity (the ability to form and re-organise synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following brain injury). This means that our thinking has a direct impact on the change of grey matter in the brain and on how some synapses are strengthened or weakened over time. A brain activity associated with a given function can be transferred to a different area of the brain. Many aspects of the brain have this plasticity (ability to transform and form new neural connections) throughout life which means we can “remap” our brain, something rehabilitation makes use of after brain injury. Our chosen behaviour can cause neuroplastic changes. When Jesus went to solitary places he went there to meditate and to be renewed.
Being spiritually healthy doesn’t mean the absence of pain but rather a willingness to care for and deal with it. We can choose faith over fear.
What Does The Bible Teach
The Bible teaches us that God’s plan for us is to be renewed by the transformation of our minds (Rom 12:2). This is an incredible plan and what God intended for us all along. We can learn to thrive even when events seem to be beyond our control. When we learn about and understand the love of God, we learn how to transform the negative and unpredictable into opportunity and positivity. When we focus on our problems around us, they only get magnified by our worry and do not present themselves with solutions.
But the more we focus on who God really is and stop focusing on ourselves, the more we are really changed.
“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” – 1 John 4:18 NIV
By seeking God and learning about his plan for us and the things he desires for us, we can transform our minds and thereby our souls.
What Are You Grateful For?
One of the many ways to do this starts with your outlook. What are you grateful for? Have you even thought about that lately or have you been paralysed by fear and worry and only focused on the negative? Gratitude has tremendous power over our minds; it can transform your whole day and your perspective. If you focus on the things you can do, the things you do have and the things you can be grateful for you will realise a whole new world can open up for you. You might even find the peace you so desperately are looking for. Focusing on your relationships rather than what you have materialistically (or don’t have) will not only change your focus but because you are now changing your brain connections you will also see a shift in yourself – a very fulfilment of Rom 12:2 as mentioned before.
Take one day at a time. This is not the time to have an unrealistic expectation of your own accomplishments. Your self-worth is not measured by your productivity, so it is vital you focus on meaningful activities, whatever they might be for you. Like Jesus, take time out to meditate, to seek and focus on God. Don’t focus too far down the line; none of us knows what the future will hold anyway, but learn to enjoy the here and now.
One of the most useless things I bought this year was a 2020 year planner, but it has somehow become a bit of a liberation to not be too tied up in endless plans and appointments. Instead, I can focus on the here and now.
When we are influenced by our circumstances we change, or rather, it draws out who we really are and what our hope is really based on. Instead of focusing on circumstances, as overwhelming as they can seem, we have a great opportunity for change. Whenever we want to grow in our character, we need to be exposed to whatever might bring our weakness out. If we look at this in a positive way with gratitude, we will realise the power in the exposure of ourselves and the power in letting it go. Then we can be filled with the love of God and see the changes we want.
We all know that perspective is everything, but it is how to get there that can be difficult. When we are honest with ourselves and willing to take that confrontation with ourselves, we can let God fill us with his word and his love. We will truly be renewed by the transformation of our minds and that is how we keep our souls healthy
Where Do I Go From Here?
Trials clarify and purify. This is a time to re-evaluate your life and if you are not a Christian, re-evaluate what you are hoping for.
- Are you learning to seek God first?
- What are you seeking? Fulfilment? Peace?
I hope you are seeking peace for the sake of your soul and your sanity. Most of us will remember this time with all the different feelings involved, and will probably remember this as a challenging time due to the extreme change for many of us and the prolonged time. What you do now will determine your future path. If you would like to learn more about God, his plans for you and his desire to see you transformed to be more like him, then please get in touch with us. We can also arrange a Bible study series with you should you be interested.
God is a God of love and of hope. We can be assured of this as He is our anchor in a time where nothing else will give us the security we need?
