Author: Rachel K. Watts

Where do I begin, we were never made to be in isolation, so how do we deal with it? I find myself shutting down like the rest of society, going numb, somehow thinking that when everything goes back to normal I will just un numb myself and go on in life like nothing happened.

How can I feel the pain and grief that comes from losing so much? And in someways we haven’t lost a lot, we still have more than what we need. Is it possible to grieve and yet find comfort in that grief, or is going numb and not allowing myself to feel anything the only way to deal with this?

I must admit this is my first response. It is a very natural response when the first 26 years of your life was lived like this. But is there another way? I believe there is. How do I feel the the grief and hurt without becoming so overwhelmed by that grief to the point of not being able to function? I am hurting, I am sad, there have been many tears over the last few weeks. Some for myself as I come to grips with not being able to see my friends and family as often as I would like, Some for my son as I watch his face drop when he realises another playground is closed, or he can’t go on the rides in the shop, or go and sit in a cafe.

Some for my husband as I have watched him try and concentrate on his study and hold his family together during this time. You ask what hope do we have, what if life doesn’t return to normal?

I am praying that we will soon be able to go back to having the liberties we had before without the threat of the virus.

Today is a special day. It is a day that is part of the Easter weekend where we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. Today we remember that Jesus came back alive again, and that is where our hope lies. The Bible says if Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead we would have no hope, but because He has we hope that one day no matter what happens here on this earth we can spend eternity with Him if we choose to believe in Him. 

So what do I do with my grief, my pain and my hurt? I take it to Jesus, He understands completely what we are going through. He has felt every aspect of our pain and suffering that we will ever encounter on this earth. To echo the words of Isaiah 53:4-5, “ Yet He Himself bore our sickness and carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our sin: punishment for our peach was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds”

Do I have any other hope to give? No, I can not pretend to know when all of this will end, if it will end. I can not say things will go back to normal but I can say that I know Jesus is alive. He knows what we are going through and He does bring us comfort in our pain and suffering.

When I think of isolation, I am reminded that Jesus on the cross experienced the worse form of isolation that anyone could ever imagine, that was separation from His Father because of our sin, because of my sin. Because of this we don’t have to face this temporary isolation alone. Jesus is alive and wanting to be the comfort to our hurt and pain if only we will let Him. We have a choice, If we choose to reject Him, we will be isolated in eternity after we die, but if we give our lives to Jesus we will live forever with Him after our death.

So no we aren’t made to be in isolation, but trust that during this time each one would consider where they are headed and turn to Jesus who has promised never to leave or forsake us, and how much more do we need that extra peace and comfort only He can give.