Thursday, May 25, 2023

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9:10

A recent Harvard University study said that the Covid-19 triggered a loneliness epidemic. The study said the health crisis saw feelings of social isolation rise and that those hardest hit were older teens and young adults.

The report included a troubling statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which showed that 63 percent of young people reported experiencing substantial symptoms of anxiety and depression.

While I haven’t conducted a scientific study, I can say from personal observation and through informal discussions with others that many young people I know did feel isolated during the pandemic. They felt disconnected from society, from their friends, and from their churches. They also felt disconnected from God. Yes, some churches were able to reach out to members and persons from all ages to engage them in worship, Zoom studies, and discussions. Many other churches didn’t have the technological ability to do that. Some young people (like many older people) did not take the initiative to remain connected to the “church,” and they didn’t take the initiative to stay connected to God. What was easy became what was and is comfortable. The result was a “disconnect” that in many cases, still exists.

PRAYER: Father, so many of us are lonely. So many of us feel alone. During the pandemic that the World Health Organization has said is officially over, some of us have lost spiritual ground. We did not take advantage of opportunities to worship and praise you during the lock down. We didn’t use much of our “alone time” to spend time with you. We became comfortable in our homes when the church doors were locked. And now that the doors are open, many of us don’t want to return. There is no yearning for fellowship, a waning desire for communion with other believers. There isn’t a desire to do better. There is a lack of desire to be better. Stir us, Lord. Renew our spirits. In the name of Jesus, we ask these things. Amen