The Unseen Victims,
The global pandemic has now claimed over two million lives which causes us extreme sadness. At the same time it has brought psychological suffering for thousands of others. Incessant isolation has brought stress and anxiety, Constant loneliness has brought depression. The suicide rate has increased by 30%. It’s a sad commentary on our present situation.
Regrettably, for some people, the circumstances have brought to the surface feelings which normally would be suppressed and under control, or would not exist at all. Feelings of inadequacy, an inability to cope, or even failure. Some have lost employment which adds to the sense of loss and uselessness. Maybe you are feeling some of this and it’s badly affecting you. There is no question that life is difficult at the moment and it is easy to despair. Putting yourself down though, is not the answer. Thinking less of yourself drags you further down and results in low self-esteem.
Without wanting to sound trite and superficial, some people are finding help to alleviate these feelings through reading, meditation, listening to music or allowing someone else read to them through audible books. If your situation is getting you down, try to relax and recognize that it is beyond your control. The pandemic is not your fault. You did not create the circumstances surrounding you. Don’t allow things you cannot change put you into a mental strait jacket. In time, things will change for the better.
If, however, you are feeling low at the moment and are being hard on yourself, or you have a sense of inadequacy, then I have some good news. A sentence I read recently caught my attention. The sentence was “No-one is unimportant to God!” Say it out loud, and let the truth of it sink in because it includes you and me. You are important. You are special. You are significant. You are unique. You cannot be replaced. No-one can fill your shoes. You have a purpose and reason for being. That’s how important you are.
So regardless of how you feel and what is happening around you, see yourself in a new light. If God loves you, cares for you and sees you as important, why should you consider yourself any less? Be encouraged. Allow the truth of this to lift you out of the valley and set you on the mountain top. You are worth it!
