“Re-entry anxiety is real! Nearly half of U.S. adults feel anxious about resuming in-person interactions post-pandemic. Focus on the 3 Rs: recover your well-being, resume regular activities safely and reconnect with what’s important to you – your health, family, community and sense of purpose – so you can Live Fierce.” - American Heart Association
I experienced this re-entry anxiety last week during the first outside visit with a friend in the year and a half since COVID. It turned out that it was an epic failure, at least in my eyes. Without going into details, I left fighting tears from what had become a traumatic experience for me.
Fear took over my mind and as fear grew I found myself becoming more and more depressed. As the anxiety built, I started with forgiveness and prayer. Yet, the anxiety clung tenaciously to me. Distractions worked temporarily but as night fell the anxiety dug it’s claws deeper. I turned to my prayer warriors on Facebook and as the prayer notifications came in sleep finally came. Thank you for covering my back.
Yet, I still found myself struggling the next day and now depression was starting. I put on a Terry Talbot song called Heal Me. A favorite from years back. The words, “Heal me Lord, heal me. Humble me that I might see you. Heal me, Lord, heal me.” made an impression. Especially the word humility this time.
Humility. Ok, so I humbled myself and called a friend to pray with me directly. I explained the whole situation to her and she prayed…fervently, and offered some perspective on the situation. I felt much better after that call and I had more ammunition against the enemy.
God is in control. Fear is not in control. My inheritance comes from Jesus. He left me His peace. His calm. In God’s strength I can crush my dreads and fears. I can crush perfectionism. I can crush the sense of being wrong. I can make it over any wall the enemy sets before me. Because God says, not to be afraid because He is with me. He says, don’t be discouraged because He is my God. He says he will give me strength and help. And He will hold me up with his victorious right hand! Victorious! (Ps.18:29 and Is.41:10)
