What comes to mind when you hear someone say, “I’ve tested positive.”? We all know it’s the COVID-19 test that they are speaking about. What type of response does it evoke in you? Is it one that God tells us to give to Him?
Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you. Psalm 55:22
Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:29
A year into the pandemic that changed everything in the way we conduct or should conduct our lives, and there is still worry, fear, panic, grief, and a host of other emotions. The world is so gripped by the reality of what a microscopic organism can do that even the word- positive -has become negative. It’s time to reverse that. A word search will reveal that a test is a means to examine and determine the state of something, in this case, a state of health. How often, I thought, does anyone have a positive medical test, and it’s good news? This is a question that likely would go unasked until the current circumstances.
This virus has caused damage to more people than we consider; the emotional damage goes uncounted. We know to seek a medical doctor for physical healing, but where do we go for emotional healing caused by the virus? Where do we find the good news? The endless thinking about the past year left me wondering if there was a way for all of us to have a different positive test in 2021, a test with good results. One that leaves us standing taller, looking toward the future, and having true faith that there is a God who loves and is with us. To change our condition, we must change our thinking; we must listen and obey our Lord. What we need is spiritual healing from God. He tells us to lay all our cares on Him, but are you doing it? Try it; there will be a weight lifted like no other- but it takes faith.
Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
In 2021, let’s make a commitment to healing our spirit that has been damaged by the pandemic. Hand over that heavy burden on our shoulders, take up our shield of faith, and look toward the mountains. God is waiting there to take our problems and help us; we need only faith the size of a mustard seed. There may still be a long road ahead, and it is time to let God begin restoring our souls. The healing process will require deliberate action on our part. Developing a relationship with God is essential to removing the spiritual damage. Below are some suggestions on where to begin. I hope this time next year we are all in a much better state of health! Happy New Year!
Ideas on How to Refocus Your Mind on God.
- Begin Each Day in Prayer. It may mean you have to go to bed a little bit earlier to wake up earlier, but it is worth the sacrifice. God loves spending time developing a relationship with each of us. He is waiting all hours, but there won’t be any distraction if you go to Him first thing in the morning.
Prayer Suggestions:
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- There is no perfect way to pray. Prayer is a conversation between you and God.
- God always wants to hear our concerns and needs, but make some of your prayers praise and thanksgiving to God. It will put a smile on His face.
- As stated by A.W. Tozer, sometimes the best prayers are those spent in total silence. Often, listening for God to speak is what we miss when we pray.
- Prayers can occur anywhere. You can set up a prayer space at home or outside, but don’t let that limit your conversations with God. Remember, He is always with you.
2. Begin a Bible Study. Get to know God through His Word. Positive messages are the theme of the Holy Bible. Listed below are ideas of where to begin.
Bible Study Topics:
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- The Old Testament Study. Arrangement of The Old Testament is by genre; The Law, History, Poetry & Wisdom, Prophets. One suggestion is to pick a particular genre of interest and take a deep dive into that area.
- New Testament Study. The New Testament is shorter than the Old Testament and divided into the Gospels, Acts of the Church, Letters, Apocalypse. Pick a gospel, letter, etc., that is of interest and study it further.
- Chronological Study. Did you ever think the bible doesn’t make sense when you try to read it cover to cover? That is because it’s not written in chronological order. Chronological reading plans are found online and offer the reading order to complete the program in 1 year.
- Topical Study. Choose a subject and research what God has to say. You can spend countless hours discovering what God has to share with you from His heart.
- Wisdom Study. Explore the book of Proverbs and the wisdom within them.
- Psalms Study. Read the beautiful poetry written for music. Imagine in your mind what it must have sounded like when sung.
- Other Plan Suggestions from Bible Study Tools.
3. Discover All the Names of God. God has many names in the bible, each referring to a character trait. Research these names and what they tell you about his character.
4. Spend Time Observing Creation. The old saying, stop and smell the roses, has value when discovering more about your Creator. There are many great revelations to be uncovered if you allow Him.
4. Find a Way to Serve Others. There is nothing more rewarding than showing kindness to someone in need. If you can volunteer for an organization-then, do it! If you can call someone who is alone – then, do it! If you can send a note, text, e-mail, Facebook, etc., someone to let them know you are thinking about them- then, do it! Please don’t assume someone else is already doing it. They may be thinking the same thing. And, keep on doing it. Serving others takes your mind off your own worries and puts happiness in your heart and the heart of others.
These are just starting points in your journey. You may also have other ideas, or you can search for additional resources for ideas. The main purpose is to remain positive and keep your thoughts on God and His love. The deeper you dive into Him, the more positive your test results will be.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and be courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged; for the Lord, your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9