02.05.2021 Pastor's Note | Fatigue
God heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
God counts the stars by number,
giving each one a name.
Our Lord is great and so strong!
God’s knowledge can’t be grasped!
(Psalm 147:3–5)
Good Day Family,
Fatigue
These are trying times in which we live, but they are also tiring times. I saw a meme on Facebook that said, “It’s not you, we all have COVID-fatigue.” I remember reading about a UCC church in New England deciding they weren’t going to gather in person for a year. At the time, I thought that was a bit extreme, but here we are at almost eleven months of physically distancing, gathering for worship online, and curtailing many of the activities that build bonds, provide encouragement, and foster community. It’s hard.
We haven’t been able to grieve the losses in our church family in the same way. Our prayers have been from a distance, and while that is no problem for God, that does increase our feelings of disconnection. And it doesn’t help that we are now in the midst of winter when our outdoor social and casual visits aren’t feasible. We’re tired of it. Our spirits and even our physical bodies can feel the weight of these days.
But…the days are getting longer. Vaccinations are taking place. God is still on the throne.
I still believe that we will come out of this stronger, better, and more positioned for the long-haul as the church. I still believe that God will heal the pain of this time and make our connections more rooted at the point of the break. I still believe that our God is great and so strong!
It's hard not to be weary, but we can be intentional about building ourselves up during this time.
When someone has a short-term physical condition, they often go to rehab as part of the recovery process to rebuild their strength. We need a spiritual and emotional rehab to rejuvenate the muscles of our souls. That’s why we will focus on gratitude this Lent. We’ve had nearly a year of reflection, let’s take a season to give thanks…for what hasn’t been lost…and for what we’ve gained. Join me, even if you’ve never attended Bible study before or don’t plan to remain on Zoom for worship, each Sunday at 9 am, beginning on February 21, as we read through Grateful by Diana Butler Bass. We will also have a Bible reading plan with a few verses each day focused on gratitude for reflection and meditation.
Finally, hear these words of comfort from the prophet Isaiah,
Youths will become tired and weary,
young men will certainly stumble;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength;
they will fly up on wings like eagles;
they will run and not be tired;
they will walk and not be weary.
(Isaiah 40:30-31)
Waiting In Hope,
Be well,
Pastor Cheryl
Link to Grateful: https://amzn.to/3cy0ACf