On worrying about a possible Bird Flu pandemic

[kaseyb (Supermom!)]

My heart feels for all of us here who care so deeply for our families and for those we care for in the surrounding community. I've read many posts where we've each shared our struggles and fears about how much we dread the potential of a BF pandemic. And I've given this a lot of thought so I figured I'd share some of my own perspectives on this.

 

I found out about Y2K less than a year before the rollover. I heard Carla Emery speak and my entire world changed in a single hour. She shared all the news of how bad it could be and she even shared how even asteroids would affect the outcome, bless her heart. She has passed away now and I own her book and always loved her zeal and her eagerness to share knowledge. But.....she was only a human being just like me. And Y2K rolled on by with barely a whisper.

 

Lately I've been studying a great book titled You Are What You Think. It's written by a Christian psychologist and the book is laden with scriptures. I've been in a lot of prayer seeking God's help because I share many of the same dreads and concerns everyone else does here.

 

And here is what I believe God has recently helped me to understand:

 

1. God is in control. Circumstances are not. Things can look ominously threatening and then suddenly disappear. That's what happened with Y2K. Major corporations prepared. The government prepared. Lots of people prepared. Because it looked like it would "definitely" happen. Experts were predicting it would happen. People in the know were writing books and articles saying it would happen. They were speaking on Oprah and other tv programs saying it was coming and to get ready. The bottom line is that God is in control. Circumstances are not.

 

2. When I worry I place limitations on God's power to help my family. I think God is not strong enough, big enough or caring and loving enough to help me. I focus more on my fear than I do on God's power to help those I love. In doing this I see God as lacking love for me. I see God as ignoring my prayers and my pleas for protection. And in all this worrying I hinder "doing my part in preparing" because my emotional energy gets spent on worrying more than on doing. The bottom line is that God is not limited by what men predict or by what scientists may discover. God is in control. He determines when my time is up. He determines it all. Nothing I think or do will change His decision in this. I can and will do my part to prepare for hardships because it is good stewardship and responsible, but worrying is counterproductive in all ways: spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

 

3. God created all and what He made is very good. Satan influenced humans and evil came into the wonderful world God meant for man’s good. Man made a choice to do evil and brought misery on himself. So I picture the earth split into two parts: the good and the evil. The good part of the world that I see in my mind is made of beautiful colors with vibrant plants growing. The evil part of the world is just cracks all over. It exists, but it’s not as uplifting to look at as the beautiful colors and plants. And the past few weeks in my studies it suddenly dawned on me that God’s intention is not for me to focus and stare at the cracked part of the earth for very long. I see it. It’s there. It cannot be totally ignored, nor should it be for we do learn valuable lessons from seeing it. But when I focus on that part of the earth I focus on what Satan has done. My eyes move away from what God has done and is doing right now. Satan begins to look more powerful than God and that is not true. Fear from Satan creeps into my soul and trust in God departs. And since the “true reality” is that God is in control and this evil world is only temporary (considering eternity) we know that God’s world of good is what is going to continue forever once Christ returns. The evil we see now will then be history. Gone. So if I focus on the evil I only focus on the temporary. My eyes lose sight of the wonderful eternity God has planned. Phil. 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

So I guess what I’m trying to say is that lately I am prayerfully asking God to strengthen me in trusting and looking to Him as I hear the bad news in the world. Prior to Y2K I felt anxious and full of fearful imaginings. My own children picked up on their mother’s worrying and they worried too. And then…..nothing happened. God was in control and still is. None of us here and no expert in the world can predict what this Bird Flu may do. And all the experts, including Dr. Osterholm, say this could fizzle out or turn into a raging pandemic. They admit they cannot predict accurately. They say prepare and we should. That is without question. I am not saying we should do nothing.

 

But should we worry and fear?

 

In my own life I feel God is trying to help me understand that feeling anxious as I did prior to Y2K is not best for my family or for me. I truly believe God is using some of these dreadful things to help me learn to focus solidly on His providence, His love and His care in the midst of all the bad news. It is not easy for me. I am by nature a pessimist. But I believe the best way for me to prepare is in my head first. That involves placing my focus so solidly on the Lord while I prepare that there is not as much room for fear to dwell.

 

Will I have fearful, anxious days ahead? You bet. I stumble a lot just like everyone does. I’ll have days where I have to repent of turning my face away from the Lord. But with His help I sure hope to get off my knees, dust off my apron and continue looking to Him while I do my best physically.

 

The truth is that I am limited. God is not.

 

I want to encourage everyone here to continue sharing sad, anxious feelings on this board. I know I will do so from time to time. But my hope is that what I’ve shared here will at least help a few of us see this entire BF mess from a different perspective. Imagine….I know it is hard sometimes…..but just imagine if this whole BF thing fizzles. Will I look back and regret the hours and days I worried and forgot to slow down and enjoy the flowers blooming in the backyard? Will I look back and regret the time lost enjoying the smiles of my children? Will I look back and regret the time I could have spent sitting on the porch swing with my husband?

 

Tomorrow I could die in a car wreck and the Bird Flu would never know I had been here. But my family would regret that I had worried so much that I neglected appreciating the small moments we have together.

 

Balancing time, energy and thoughts according to God’s order of things…..I guess that’s where my recent prayers have led me. I will trip and stumble in worrying, but I am so grateful that God is helping me see the futility of that. I am glad He is helping me see that the “real reality” is what He has for us all. Satan must be overjoyed whenever I focus heavily on the negative short term. And since the media is a moneymaking business producing truckloads of bad news…..Carla herself made part of her living from sharing bad news…..well, I think I need to be careful in choosing what to heavily consume. They are just people who really can’t predict things any better than I can.

 

I pray no one misunderstands this post and thinks I am judging. I am not. I openly admit I am chief of worryworts! If my husband reads this post he will probably faint onto the floor! But I would like to prepare in a balanced way so that I don’t lose out on living life in the here and now. I think that is really what God wants too. John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

 

I guess what I’m saying is that if the Bird Flu doesn’t make me sick, then worrying will. And it will likely take my eyes off God so much that I may spiritually suffer too.

 

Matt. 6:25 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

 

Matt. 6:31-33 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

God is not saying we should not prepare. There are plenty of scriptures and examples showing preparing is wise. God says in the scriptures above that we should not “worry” so much that we lose perspective of what is most important.

 

Anyway, the next time I get into "worry mode" I plan on eating some chocolate worry stones with seasonal ramifications: http://www.acclaimimages.com/_gallery/_pag...-0609-0935.html

 

 

[SisterKrister]

[Guest Guest]

Tea ~

 

I think the 2 key things you mentioned are what it all boils down to in the end...

 

Trust and balance.

 

I have learned by experience that I can do everything imaginable to prepare and protect and in the end, only God's hand is what may hold tragedy at bay. He really IS in control whether we wanna believe that or not...I choose to believe.

 

By the same token, God is a God of balance...

 

I've talked many times with my mom about why at times, I feel such an urgency to prepare, to keep stocked up, whether it's bird flu or not...she's pointed out that God calls different people for different tasks. I don't necessarily have all the answers but I do know that preparing is a conviction that I am responsible to, and I'm comfortable not always understanding.

 

Bottom line, I believe that God is in control, and I believe He's given us wisdom and we're responsible for the burdens He lays on our hearts.

 

So yeah, I'm sure we will all feel fear or urgency at times, but in the long run, all I can do is what I can do and at some point, I hafta put the rest into His hands and trust Him...no matter what.

[m0naj0]

Amen,Darlene!

[cartoongirl]

Teaberry and

 

[twilap]

Excellent post Teaberry! Thanks for sahring your thoughts!