2020 Vision 05 - "Mysophobia"

2020 VISION – MYSOPHOBIA

It was after our daily walk in the park that I saw it. I was sitting in my chair when Lizzy came over to nuzzle and left it on my sleeve – a tick. I’m afraid I reacted by frantically trying to brush it off. I did; into the carpet. Now where was it? My mind at lightning speed went from, where did that come from, to, Lizzy has ticks – in all that thick fur? To, does the house have fleas and ticks, to, there’s goes our hour of therapy in the park every day. Can we not go out at all? And what about Lyme’s disease? Is everything out of control? Where are you God? You are supposed to be in control. This is hard, too hard. From peace and calm to fear and anxiety in a millisecond.

Many of us are now experiencing COVID19 Fatigue. We are over the novelty of no 5 am alarm clock. We are over the novelty of PJ’s 24x7. We are over the novelty of finding ways to keep children occupied and students abreast of their workload. We are over the externally imposed financial straits. We are over the news being full of nothing else. Masks and gloves might become the norm? How much longer will we be under the “Stay in Place” order? How much longer must we practice social isolation? And a possible second wave? For some of us, Staying in Place means quarantined with the ticks of fear, anxiety, and a short fuse.

This virus has had a way of sifting to the surface many poor, even sinful personal response mechanisms that we have ignored or justified for years. Its continuing presence is a unique opportunity to deal with them and successfully remove them. How are you doing? What “ticks” have you found? How about this test: Others would say I have the tick of ______.

God has made us, like Himself, to be relational. To protect ourselves from the virus we have to suppress that hard-wired impulse and desire, a very hard thing to do. We long for this to be over to have physical human interaction once again. Sorry Lizzy. On the other hand, if you are in quarantine with other people, you may be exhibiting signs of a tick infestation.

It has taken me a while to develop a healthy fear of the virus to prompt me to take all the necessary precautions. The sight of the tick instantly produced fear, because I already knew the danger. But I cannot see the virus. I cleared my throat in the grocery store the other day, and also cleared the aisle. There is healthy fear, like the fear that made me take action to eradicate the ticks (Lizzy left me two more), and there is irrational fear that keeps us crippled with anxiety and a permanent case of irritation. Healthy fear is given us by our Creator to help us keep safe and avoid danger. Irrational fear is not from Him. But He does have a prescription for it, and it is the balm of Himself, and His peace-giving, fear-defeating, vision-correcting Word.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you…not as the world giveth…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 14:27; 16:33). “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There’s just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus, Like the fragrance after the rain; Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Let all heaven and earth proclaim. Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, But there’s something about that name.”

Get checked for a tick infestation and then take action. Now’s the time.

Pam Russell Women's Ministry Director Public Servants' Prayer