Wow, it’s hard to believe that we have been in this pandemic for almost two years. During this time, we have had to adjust to many things and one of them was not being able to go inside the walls of the church.
As a kid, I remember having to go to church several days a week. We had Sunday school and 11 a.m. service on Sunday and other things throughout the week like choir practice and usher board meetings that my parents attended.
As I grew older, I was not required to attend church as much with my parents and grandparents, but my relationship with the Lord never wavered. My grandmother used to always say “you need to be in the house of the Lord” to make sure your connection with Him remained strong.
It was not until I graduated college and was on my own, I realized no matter where I am, I can worship the Lord. He is always with me. This has stayed with me throughout the pandemic.
As the months of the pandemic rolled on, it hit me. I had to find a way to continue my connection and relationship with the Lord without the ability of going inside of the physical church.
Listening to gospel music seems to always put me in the right frame of mind, whether I am in a good mood or not. I can find lyrics I relate to.
Admittedly, I have not listened to as many sermons as I would have liked. Those I’ve heard have been exactly what I needed to hear. I remember when we had to make tough choices at The Chronicle due to the pandemic.
It was not something that was expected, but once it was upon us, we had to deal with it. It was only my faith in God that brought me through the situation. Even though things looked dire at times, I knew that my God would not let me down. Yes, my faith was tested, but it never wavered and that was because he has never let me down before.
Prayer has been the biggest component for me during this time. I have not only prayed for myself, but I find myself praying more for other people. I thought this pandemic was overblown by the government and media, but it began to affect people that I know and love. It became “real.”
It was even more real once the virus entered my home. I know that over a half million people had lost their lives to COVID. My faith would not let that thought cross my mind about anyone I know and loved. I knew my God would not allow that virus to seriously affect my household and luckily, it did not.
I know many people who either lost loved ones due to the pandemic or have lost employment. I began praying for those people, because honestly, I feel like I was one of the more fortunate.
Prayer has really been my saving grace. I find myself praying at times I never did before – at stoplights, in line at the grocery store, or even just sitting in front of the television. There are so many things I must be thankful for; I feel compelled to just thank God
I think I have a closer relationship with God now than I had prior to the pandemic. I look more to him now for guidance on decisions because I know things can be taken away at any time and I want to make sure I don’t put my family in that situation ever again.
So, I am not happy that this pandemic is ravaging the world; however, I am happy that I am able to get closer to God amid it.
Timothy Ramsey is the religion reporter for The Winston-Salem Chronicle
