It’s been quite a crazy year so far. The abrupt end of school in March felt like falling into quicksand. I was nearly swallowed by COVID-19-induced emotions and the disruption to not only our jobs as teachers but the education of our own children. The pressure to regroup and make school happen for my students and my kids produced some of the most intense emotions I’ve ever felt.

Worries about getting sick, my parents being stuck in Florida, and not being able to see my other friends and family weighed on me. It was overwhelming all around. Somehow we found our footing and limped to the finish line of the school year relatively unscathed.

A deep exhale after my teacherly duties were finished didn’t last long. I soon turned my attention to the uncertainty of September even though it was barely the end of June. That’s how my mind works, always anticipating the next thing and trying to figure out how to handle it. It’s a blessing at times. In this case, it was a curse.

Before I knew it, I’d let the rest of June and all of July slip away. I foolishly spent too much emotional energy on the looming questions of what September would bring. Thankfully, a brief late-July getaway to the shore allowed us to relax with seafood takeout and ice cream and enjoy a couple of blissful early evenings on a nearly-empty beach.

After I’d let my defenses fall enough to enjoy our four nights away from the all-too-familiar walls of our house, they sprang back up once we returned home. I realized I’d been ingesting too much news and social media commentary on the situation, which was a major contributor to my agita. You can read more about that HERE.

Part of what makes these times so difficult to manage emotionally is the uncertainty. There’s no magic end date. There’s no guarantee of safety if and when I return to the classroom in September. Hard, fast information is simply not available. Not knowing is painfully uncomfortable.

I’m sometimes remiss in not turning to the very verses of scripture I would send to a friend who is having emotional difficulty. The advice I would usually give others doesn’t always occur to me as a solution to my own fears. I get caught up in my own head.

Instead of turning to the Word, I turn to worry.

The Lord gently redirects me and reminds me of how much power and strength the Bible has to offer. I’m including an attachment of Bible verses we can go to deal with the emotions associated with these unprecedented times.

I hope they bring you comfort as you read and reflect on them. Download and share freely. The more time we spend reading the Word, the better we will feel–not because the circumstances have changed, but because our hearts and spirits have.

May you find peace as you navigate all the difficulties COVID-19 has created. Stay healthy, stay grateful, and fix your eyes on Jesus. Too often I let my gaze fall away from Him and cause myself grief.

Jesus, forgive me for allowing my emotions to spin out of control. Speak to me by your Word and lead me into hope. AMEN.

Click the link below for your free printable copy of Bible verses for emotional times.

BIBLE VERSES FOR EMOTIONAL TIMES

With Love and Gratitude,