Practicing Anxious Negative Insight Continually
THE PANDEMIC
We are in a pandemic, the word sounds scary just like a lot of the news today sounds scary. Pandemic just means an epidemic that has become global, and it doesn’t say how virulent a bug really is. In this little chat, I hope to help you get some perspective: For example, how often are you thinking about the Flu? You know what I am talking about, don’t you? I am talking about that yearly Flu virus for which we get Flu shots. But you rarely hear about it. You certainly don’t see people getting in a panic, cleaning out all the stores, hoarding supplies, even toilet paper (what’s with that) and getting all the cash out they can out of the bank. Why? Well, the Flu is simply something we live with annually. It’s NO big deal. Right?
Brief Comparison of The Flu Virus To Covid-19 Virus
While it’s true the Flu bug doesn’t get us all excited, along comes this new coronavirus, and it makes wall to wall news that is reported night and day! The most powerful people from the private and public sector are continually on camera, and it seems the world has gone crazy. People all over are getting freaked out. They are bolting into what I call P.A.N.I.C: They Practice Anxious Negative Insight. Continually. The facts are presented by the authorities, which should be enough to give us guidance, and yet still people find things, on the internet, that are blatantly UNTRUE; nevertheless they cling, as if their faulty information is gospel, and they pass it on. Which causes others to be in a P.A.N.I.C. with them. It is contagious!
So, without going into millions of details, here are some basic absolutely true facts direct from the CDC. By the way, you can go to the CDC website yourself and stay up to date. First, let’s look at the Coronavirus or COVID-19. As of the writing of this web log, 7,038 people, in the USA, have contracted this virus. The numbers will go up because we are getting more testing capability. As of the writing of this web log, 97 have died.
What about the Flu? There have been 36,000,000 cases. The most recent data I can find, on the CDC web page is also: 370,000 hospitalized, and 22,000 deaths. I find it more than a little interesting that we can have 36,000,000 people get the Flu, and 370,000 of these are hospitalized, and more importantly, 22,000 die, and very little is said on our news channels. There really is no comparison between these two viruses. We really need to get it together as we think about these matters. God will help you and me, if we simply focus the locus of our focus on Him. He can make all the difference in the world in our world. He can give us grace and peace, if we let Him.
I Am Hoping
Like I say, I am writing this to simply hopefully help calm people’s fears by helping people gain perspective. I know some will still P.A.N.I.C. Some will still Practice Anxious Negative Insights Continually. Some will do, as some have already done. They will make this personal and call names, and they will be miserable, but I will simply delete their tirades. I am hoping you can be a person of prayer, and I hope you can cast all your anxieties on God because God cares about you. I hope you hear Jesus speak to your hearts and your minds. I am hoping you can hear Jesus tell you personally “Peace … be still.” I hope you can experience the Psalmist telling you key wisdom in Psalm 46. I am hoping you can “Be still and experience God.” I am hoping, especially if you are a Christ Follower, to know that God does NOT give to us the spirit of fear, but of power, an of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV)
Please find your peace with God, the God of peace and be at peace. Please gain some balance by gaining a healthy perspective from accurate information, and please Don’t P.A.N.I.C.
Rock Solid Living 