The Unseen
Enemy
A reaction to the Coronavirus epidemic
From: Devotional - April 3,
2020
When
I look back on my life, I can remember many things that I have had to
face. Good relationships, challenging
experiences, highs and very low lows that did make me feel small feeble and
inadequate. Let me tell you, this is how
I have felt for a long time, as long as I can remember. Just for one memory, I was in 3rd
grade and out on the playground with all of the other 3rd
graders. I was playing with other kids
as we all were out there playing together.
I can remember running after the ball to get it, I think we were playing
kickball and another kid that I do not know looks at me and says, “Hey kid, you
are supposed to be inside. The kindergarteners have all gone inside
already. This was my typical day in
elementary school. Being small feeble
and inadequate.
Going through the challenges of being a
small guy have been difficult to say the least but I have learned to cope with
it pretty well. But I did because I
could see the challenge by knowing who to look out for or to view the issue at
hand. I have grown used to knowing who
the enemy was by seeing them and reacting to them in person. But in the event of this virus of today. I can say that it is very unnerving to face
what I cannot see and change my own behavior due to the word of mouth of
reports on TV or internet or news from friends and family.
The
unseen enemy is something that I have not gotten used to facing. This is funny since I am a minister and do
believe that we face Satan as the enemy of mankind. As a Christian minister, I really do believe
there is an unseen enemy, Satan and I have been preaching and practicing the
reality of Satan’s presence in the world around me. But a physical unseen enemy makes it even
more insidious to what we know. I guess
I need to look at the show the Invisible man and how the people in the movie
portrayed this presence of this person (just a thought). Having an enemy that we all are reacting to
is different than the presence of an evil spirit that plans to destroy my
life. I guess that is what this whole
time reiterates for me. That there is an
unseen predator that is lurking behind any and maybe every corner to take us
all down.
There is another way of facing the
threat to life in this dangerous life and that is to turn from focusing on the
unseen enemy and turn to face the unseen friend, The Holy Spirit. The unseen enemy is real and a threat to life
just like we have had other threats throughout history but me focusing on the
threat and cowering until it comes to meet me at my front door is not the way
to face the great challenges of life. I believe that we have the presence of
the Holy Spirit here with us because He is even more real than the reality of
the virus. He is our unseen friend. Jesus Christ promised at the time near his
crucifixion that he would send the Holy Ghost to dwell with us. He called Him the Comforter, now isn’t that
appropriate?
“And I will pray the
Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world
cannot receive, because is seeth him not, neither knoweth him but ye know him;
for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:16-18
Jesus said that this Comforter would be with us forever and if we
believe this, we must act appropriately.
I don’t believe that we are to act like there is no virus but to
approach life with a sense of urgency in matters of responsibility, love and
faith. If we focus on the virus, we will
certainly miss out on delivering love and patience to family and friends who
need it. If we turn to the Comforter and
ask for ways to support our loved ones, there will be a better outcome. When we turn towards the Comforter with a
responsible attitude for who we are to care for or what we have been called to
do, we can expect for the Comforter to help us to be responsible and not cower
in fear. The World (cosmos) will not
have a sense of the presence of the Comforter because Jesus clearly said that
the World doesn’t know Him nor do they see Him.
There is something else I have to say about the presence of the Holy
Spirit. Jesus said that He would reprove
the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. (John 16:8 with the word reprove, meaning > convince or convict). If we think about it. We are convicted by our own attitude towards
the threats of the world. Do we really
believe that the Comforter is present with us or do we believe that we are the
only help and source of strength in life?
A believer and unbeliever would answer this question differently.
We do not live with a focus on the threat but
with a focus on our particular calling in life.
Turning to the unseen enemy we live in fear and looking over our
shoulders at every curve in life. But,
Turning to the unseen friend, we can still live in a world where troubles are
abounding on every hand. The hope that
we had in Jesus in the presence of the Holy Ghost is still the hope that He
offers to His believers in the very midst of seen and unseen dangers. Remember the song 'What a Friend we have in Jesus'
Have we trials and temptations? Is
there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.
A good look at the support of the
Holy Ghost through the ages clearly teaches that God can handle what seen and
unseen dangers we may face.
I began writing these thoughts back in
April but now it is March. What makes this
significant is that my own father was on this side of eternity at that time as
I turned over this idea for many months.
But before he passed, which was a sudden shock to us all, he told me
that we walk by faith, not by sight.
This passage was one of my father’s favorite passages because I remember
the passion that he had as he quoted to scripture reminding us that the gift of
the Holy Ghost was a promise from Jesus.
This promise has been kept and the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit
is what we need to remember as we face the Covid-19 virus. Turning from focusing on the presence of the
unseen enemy and turning towards the reality of the unseen friend who cares for
our every need and will help us face all dangers. No matter what they may be.
Here are some important resources for the healthcare worker
Pandemic
Related Articles, Grief, Stress and Rumors
How
‘Anticipatory Grief’ May Show Up During the COVID-19 Outbreak (healthline.com)
Managing
Healthcare Workers' Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak - PTSD:
National Center for PTSD (va.gov)
Team
Health and Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic | COVID-19 Response
Resources Hub | Center to Advance Palliative Care (capc.org)
Managing
Expectations in Uncertainty | Center to Advance Palliative Care (capc.org)
Workplace
Wellness during Crisis
Health
Care Workers In Crisis—Efforts Toward Normalizing A Sustainable Workplace
Culture | Health Affairs
The
Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 | Mental Health America
(mhanational.org)
Managing
Expectations in Uncertainty | Center to Advance Palliative Care (capc.org)
For
Leadership considerations
Caring
for our caregivers during COVID-19 | American Medical Association
(ama-assn.org)
Collaborating
for Organizational Wellness: Tips for Palliative Care Leaders | Center to
Advance Palliative Care (capc.org)
The
Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 | Mental Health America
(mhanational.org)
