A Christian Charity Sharing the Love of Jesus in Practical Ways

What we're doing to maintain care

throughout the Covid-19 Crisis

Keeping you up-dated

As the coronavirus pandemic unfolds, our key workers continue to support many isolated, at risk adults in the safest possible way.

Watch our latest update from Jonathan (CEO).

12/05/2020

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COPING WITH ISOLATION

Being vulnerable as well as being Isolated can cause us to have many different feelings and fears, like the feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, loneliness as well as the overwhelming fear about the uncertainties of life and the what the future may hold. These are all issues we have sought to address at Caring of Life over the 33 years we have been in existence.

Caring For Life is blessed to have many friends who share the same concern for those who suffer in this way and one of those friends is Catherine Haddow who is a psychologist and Biblical counsellor. Once again Catherine has written another article for your encouragement and to help you through this very sad and traumatic time. We want to remind you, as we want for those in our care, that we have a hope even in the midst of self-isolation and all that it brings, even if we can’t quite see it or believe it now.

We hope and pray these short articles help you through these difficult times.

JONATHAN PARKINSON CEO

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13/05/20 article: - At the time of writing, no significant easing of lockdown appears imminent. We recoil in horror at the daily death toll. Each number represents a family torn apart by loss of a loved one. Our hearts ache for them. We acutely feel our inability to offer physical comfort to those we know who are grieving.

However, for many others who have not experienced loss, frustration is increasingly present in daily life. The tone of daily news has shifted to one of criticism: why wasn’t lockdown activated sooner? When will the vital PPE arrive? Why is testing still so low? When will a vaccine become available?

In our own lives, are grumbling and complaint becoming more prominent too? Are our immediate relationships becoming fractious? Are our conversations increasingly terse? Are we lonely and frustrated by continued social-distancing? How long until we can return to work or stop home-schooling? When can we shop for groceries without queuing?

We rapidly experience impatience when life isn’t going the way we think it should!

Lockdown fatigue is understandable. It is not wrong to desire it to end; ‘How long O Lord’ is a frequent cry in scripture. God has given us many good things to enjoy in our ‘normal’ lockdown-free lives. However, we have a tendency to want these ‘good things’ too much. The ‘good thing’ can become a ‘god thing’ that we live for more than God Himself (Rom.1:25) and frustration results. The outer behaviours of complaint, impatience and grumbling flow out of disordered desires in our heart (Matt.12:34).

Frustration is a form of anger. When something we want is blocked, we respond with anger. It is possible to experience righteous anger (Ps.4:4). It is generally others-focussed and displayed in a controlled, peaceable and constructive way. It honours others and honours God. It is right to feel frustrated over the lack of PPE for key workers putting their lives at risk on every shift. Unrighteous anger in contrast, is generally self-focussed and displayed in an uncontrolled, chaotic and disruptive way. It dishonours others and dishonours God. Unrighteous frustration is revealed through grumbling, complaining and impatience towards those around us. Although we don’t realise it, it reveals something about our relationship with God too. As we put the world to rights, we are also saying, ‘I know better than You God! My way is better than your way!’

In frustration, it is vital that we consider lockdown through a heavenly gaze. When we do, we look beyond the Government’s decisions and see that lockdown was ordained by our loving God. Psalm 46 promises us that, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble’ (v1). Covid-19 is undoubtedly an unprecedented time of trouble. For many, it feels as though crashing mountains and surging waters are engulfing them. But the psalmist draws us to the refreshing waters of the dwelling place of God who dwells in the hearts of those who trust in Jesus. He is present and active, working out His sovereign purposes in our lives through this season.

When we feel lockdown frustration, instead of grumbling and complaining, let us look to the Lord, ‘..and see what [He] has done’ (v8). As we do, the ‘how, when and why’ of frustration are transformed to the ‘who and what?’ of patient waiting. When we consider who is God and what He has done through Jesus, we see that His almighty power is greater than anything we face. His overwhelming love, mercy and grace breaks into the frustration of lockdown. He calls us to, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (v10). As we remember all He has done for us in Christ, we are drawn to worship the great Creator rather than the created things He gives us to enjoy. Our hearts overflow with thankfulness that we are His and He is ours. Our unrighteous frustration is abated as we are captivated by His goodness. He is exalted among the nations as we patiently endure lockdown. As we wait on the Lord, trusting His ways and His timing, we glorify the One who is worthy of all our praise.

CATHERINE HADDOW, psychologist and counsellor at The Cornerstone, Trowbridge