What a time it’s been these past few months of needing to live differently, for our own safety and for that of others. How counter-intuitive it has been having to pull back from family and friends, with some of us having to cocoon or even self-isolate in order to ensure community health and well-being.

We are designed to be relational, both with one another and with our Creator. While some have found the enforced period of slowing down and reduced activity to be refreshing, many have found that the pressures inherent in the sudden adaptations required have increased stress, anxiety and ongoing troubles.

As Christians we sometimes find it difficult to reach out for help, berating ourselves for needing to depend on others since all our hope is founded on God.

How good it is to remember that as our loving Father draws us to himself He reaches us in a myriad of ways. Sometimes He touches us through prayer, the Scriptures, through worship and often through the beauty of nature. Other times He cares for us through the words, deeds, kind gestures or simply coming alongside us of other people when we are experiencing a particular need or difficulty.

‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble’ (Psalm 46:1) reminds us of His provision. ‘For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you’ (Isaiah 41:13) reassures us of his concern for our wellbeing. Jesus met people where they were at, longing to bring healing and hope into their lives.

One of the many supports available to us in these times is the charity Aware. Aware runs a Support Line 365 days a year, from 10am till 10pm (1800804848). Callers receive support and information about coping with stress, anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder. All calls are confidential within normal limits. A range of beneficial resources and programmes are available through www.aware.ie.

It may take courage to ask for help, but when we do it, we are grateful for taking that step.

Prayer is life-giving and also not always easy. God is not ‘socially distant’ so one might think that prayer is to be the same at the time of lockdown, as it was before or as it will be after. But when life changes, often prayer changes as well.
Any authentic prayer will reflect what is going in our life, too.

Over the last number of months we have had to quickly adapt to an online experience of communal worship. Prayer meetings and church services all moved from in-person gatherings to online. While this provided continuity in praying together in a new format, it may have also been overwhelming to a degree. All human interaction moved to online encounters. Now with the easing of restrictions and being able to go to church again, this new phase will bring much needed comfort to some, and will prove to be an additional challenge to others.

If your prayer changed over the last months, or you found it hard to pray, don’t judge yourself for it.
If your prayer carried you through, be grateful. Thank God for it.
If it was somewhere in-between, know you are human and God loves you as you are.
Experiences of fertile valleys and of deserts are both very common in life and in prayer. If you experienced any combination of these during the months of lockdown – take heart.

Where did you find God over the last few months?

For me He seeped into my alone time in the house, like sap drips from the tree giving it life.
“Sap carries important nutrients, water and hormones through the tree that are essential for a healthy plant.” We may judge it as sticky or unpleasant, but for trees it is essential. Trees drip more sap when damaged, when attacked by pests or diseases. At the times of difficulty, perhaps God drips more sap into our lives, by being near through His grace, mercy, love.

What kind of sap did God drip in your life?

Having to incorporate social distancing in our every-day life for now is not natural. Handshake, a hug when meeting a friend, instead of providing human connection have become ‘dangerous’. And yet, we still need them. Grieving these changes will hit some of us harder than others, but allow yourself to grieve if you need to. Bring exactly how you feel to prayer, be real with God in communal worship, in your alone times. Notice what you are grateful for, and where you need healing.

May God drip his healing oil into all aspects of your life. In Isaiah God promises us “the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit” (Isaiah 61:3).
May it be so for us today. Amen

Iva Beranek
Dr Iva Beranek is the Ministry Facilitator for the CMH: Ireland