How Do You Live in Uncertain Times?

These are interesting times. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is shutting down a lot of our world and activities. I get asked what I think about it. I think the most honest answer is, “I don’t know.” 

How do you deal with uncertain and potentially hard times?  That is what this blog is about.

There are dozens of very well written articles about COVID-19, the importance of limiting spread, the risks of a rapid spike on overwhelming healthcare resources, how to reduce your risk, etc… I too have read many of these articles. I don’t need to add anything to that body of literature.

But how do you handle uncertainty about the future?

 As I look with wonder at everything that is going on it makes me wonder what it must have been like to live through other times in our history. This is not the 1^st time that humans have had to deal with very hard times. 

The polio epidemic comes to mind. Interestingly, 98% of the people who contracted the poliovirus had only minor or mild symptoms and no neurologic effects. But in 1-2% the virus entered the bloodstream and attacked the nerves resulting in paralysis and death.^[1] “Because so little was known about the virus or its inconspicuous mechanism of transmission, fear and near panic occurred as parents forbade their children from attending public places where large numbers of people gathered.”^[2]

Sound familiar? 

We know more now. We do know about transmission and how to prevent spread.  That is not the point I am trying to make. The point is that we are not alone in history in what we are going through. And for me that seems comforting. 

Human beings are resilient and strong. Within them is strength greater than we expect. 

I think of the 1918 influenza epidemic. It was called the “Spanish flu” because the outbreak in Spain received more publicity than elsewhere. It was actually the 1^st  H1N1 outbreak. One flyer during the time instructed people: “There is no medicine which will prevent it. Keep away from public meetings, theatres and other places where crowds are assembled. Keep the mouth and nose covered while coughing or sneezing. The attendant shall put on a mask before entering the rooms of those ill of the disease.”^[3]

My grandfather’s family contracted the Spanish flu. As a child he became the man of the house. At the age of 11 he became responsible for running the farm and caring for his ill parents and siblings. His father died and then he continued on running the farm. I cannot imagine this. What must it have been like for him and for his family?

Human beings have great strength.

I have seen it in Sarah and in her mother. Sarah’s mom was a person who could fall prey to worrying about things. She had good reasons to do so. She had suffered the amazing tragedy of losing three of her children all from different and unrelated illnesses. She also was a survivor of childhood polio having been one of those 1-2% who contracted near fatal paralysis. Somehow she survived but had to contend with post-polio syndrome her entire life. For her, life was never certain.

Sarah’s father became very ill. He was in the intensive care unit and we didn’t know if he would survive. I was anxious about what this stress would do to Sarah’s mom. On top of everything that she had already been through, certainly this would unravel her. 

It was absolutely amazing how she responded. She didn’t panic. She was like a rock, stable and steady throughout the whole time. She was like a soldier. One minute soldiers might be fussing about minor things and then in the heat of battle with explosions all around them, they march forward with outrageous courage and strength to just do what must be done.  In that time, I saw an amazing and strong core within her. She had depth and strength. She could deal with whatever she had to deal with. When the “explosions and chaos” were at their worst, she could just do whatever needed to be done.

So how do we deal with the stress of these uncertain times?

1. Understand that we are not alone. Human beings throughout the ages have faced many very hard and scary things. I find this quite comforting. If those before had the strength to endure and walk through the challenges before them, I can too.  I call upon their strength to help me remain calm and strong regardless of whatever may come. If you would like to read more about this here is a link to another of my blog posts: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/established-1950-gone-now-michael-dickinson/
2. God is still on his throne. When evil persons attack, the Scripture reassures us that, “The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”^[4]  God is not surprised by this or by any of the tragedies that might strike us. We do not walk through this alone. We go forward with a belief in a God who has created all things and who sees all things. “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”^[5] He also tells us “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.”^[6] At my core, I am able to not be shaken because I have a firm belief that there is more to my existence than just what is happening here. I hope that you too can find comfort and strength in this.
3. Look beyond yourself. This is powerful. How can you rise up in strength in the midst of the chaos? Can you too be a soldier that shines in the midst of the battle? What are the needs around you? There is a tweet now gone viral (>1 million hits) about a woman helping an elderly couple get groceries. I want to be like her. Will you? Or are you going to be another crazy person buying a year’s supply of toilet paper? Look for the needs. In your anxiety use that energy to look at your friends and neighbors and their needs. For those of you who are believers, how are you going to show the love of God in the midst of the disruption in your lives and schedules?
4. This too shall pass. We do not know exactly what is coming but we do know that we will get to the other side. When you cannot say anything else, you can say this, “This too shall pass.” And just keep moving forward.

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^[1] https://www.historyofvaccines.org/timeline/polio

^[2] https://www.jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.2519/jospt.2004.0301

^[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu

^[4] Psalm 2:4

^[5] 2 Timothy 1:7

^[6] Hebrews 13:5