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Editorial: Seeking hope amid the stress
Stress. So much stress. Can you feel it? No doubt many of us can.
Turning the pages of The Christian Chronicle, the stressed-out ministers, stressed-out voters and stressed-out students pursuing a pandemic-era education — with required masks and no hugs — are impossible to miss.
Stressed-out missionaries? See this column.
As we approach Christmas and move through the final days of 2020, we long to turn the metaphorical page on this despairing year.
A new year can infuse us with hope and remind us that while the things of this world do, indeed, pass away (1 Corinthians 7:31), God’s promises are eternal.
Yet the coming year is poised to be stressful because of the baggage it carries. If we acknowledge this and prayerfully address it now, we can do much to reframe our own thinking and help transform the outcome.
How might we best prepare now to cope later?
• Resist the urge to self-medicate or find crutches — whatever we might use, do or consume in excess to escape reality. Whether dangerous by nature or only harmful if used incorrectly, the outcome will be the same.
• Our health is vital. We must make sure to include our spiritual, emotional and mental well-being along with the physical as we care for ourselves. We also must be alert for symptoms that may indicate professional help is required and seek that out.
• Stay connected. Regardless of our individual situations, most of us are finding ourselves at home more often. While this is a necessary precaution during this unprecedented health crisis, it can lead to loneliness and a feeling of separation from our church family and God, in particular, if not addressed.
•Look for opportunities to reach out even as you stay in, and get creative about spending time with God in your home worship setting as well as in private prayer and Bible reading time.
We wish you a holiday season and a new year ahead filled with God’s love, mercy and care.
