Spiritual Stamina in the Time of CoronavirusSample

TATTERED BIBLES

When I first participated in a Bible study program years ago, I noticed that some of the women's Bibles were tattered looking, exhibiting well-worn bindings and pages with hand-written notes and dog ears. Mine was brand new, stiff, and, well, hadn't been used. I was an immature Christian, and I couldn't wait for my squeaky new Bible to look like theirs because that would mean that I, too, had read and studied God's word over and over again. I laugh when I recall that memory at the beginning of my spiritual journey. The Christian life is a journey that requires spiritual stamina in route to spiritual maturity. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and I'm proud to say that my Bible now resembles the worn-out Bibles I had admired many years before.

Being in God's word and studying it is our fuel for spiritual stamina. Life is hard, and we need constant reminders of God's love, faithfulness, and provision during difficult times. These reminders are plentiful in the Bible. For example, God provided for the Israelites in the desert (Deuteronomy 2:7), for Elijah in the wilderness (I Kings 19:6), for the masses that followed Christ (Matthew 14:20), and many more!

If you've been swallowed up by loss and grief only to be spat out by anxiety and hopelessness due to COVID-19, and your spiritual stamina has fizzled out, pick up your Bible again. Be it tattered or new. Listen to God's word online or participate in a virtual Bible study or watch an online church service. God knows what you need, and will fill up your spiritual tank when you spend time in His word.