If you were asked to think of one word that describes how you feel about living
in the Coronavirus Pandemic? I think many people would say, “Stressed.”
That’s what I hear a lot when I called Aldersgate people – “I am OK. Stressed.
Hanging in there.”
Recently Dr. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease doctor, sounded an
alarm. He said, “We’re all still in danger of catching COVID‐19. I just think we
need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter, because it’s not
going to be easy”.
Hunker down. That’s what we must do to protect us from Coronavirus. But
when you hunker down, you are like a spring that is compressed or squeezed.
You will get stressed. Dr. Fauci is saying your life will be like a compressed
spring through this fall and winter. We must relieve stress, otherwise, we will
suffer from the heavy pressure of the chronic stress.
What do you do to relieve stress? Let me tell you what I do. I have morning
devotions every day. That’s helpful for me to focus on faith, which helps me
find purpose and strength with hope. I also run 2‐3 miles in the afternoon 3‐4
times a week. Physical exercise is a very good way to relieve stress.
So I encourage you to do both spiritual exercise and physical exercise daily. You
may want to use daily devotionals such as the Upper Room, which you can pick
up at the church.
I also encourage you to join in worship either in‐person or online regularly. If
neither of them works for you, please read the sermon which is emailed and
also mailed to those who don’t do emails. The act of worship with praise songs,
prayers and hearing the word of God invites you to engage actively in fellowship
with God and with each other so that you can lift up your stress to God
and receive new strength and fresh spirit of life.
We also need a long‐term plan in addition to daily and weekly routines as we
need to hunker down through this fall and winter. We need hope for this winter.
Otherwise, it is going to be a really long winter. Here is the good news! I
am already excited. Jesus is coming! Jesus will bring love, peace, joy and hope.
Christmas is always special. But this year it will be more special. I am already in
the Advent spirit. I am stress‐free as my heart is filled with the excitement, joy
and hope of Christmas.