Finding God’s Hand During the Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the life I had taken so long to build seemed to crumble within days, but Heavenly Father’s hand was still in the details.
The author lives in New South Wales, Australia.
At the end of 2019, I felt like my life was finally coming together. I had just finished my university degree and had accepted a temporary teaching block at a school that would give me incredible career experience. I was so excited to be entering the professional adult world!
I was especially grateful that Heavenly Father had blessed me with the health I needed to finish my degree and start teaching in spite of my two chronic health conditions—type 1 diabetes and cystic fibrosis. I soon grew attached to my students, and I could feel my Savior’s love for them every time they smiled or laughed. Teaching was everything I dreamed it would be.
But then COVID-19 changed everything. My doctors said that because I was high risk, I needed to self-isolate, which put me in a tricky situation. As a temporary employee, I had to take unpaid leave for a job I had only had for a few weeks. I grew increasingly depressed as my entire life plan was flipped upside down.
As much as I respected the judgments of my doctors, I wanted nothing but to ignore their warnings and continue to work! I’d been serving Heavenly Father’s children and working so hard to reach this point in my life, so I wondered why everything was suddenly being taken from me—and for such an indefinite period of time.
I cried a lot at first. I was so overwhelmingly frustrated, scared, and trapped. I felt so sorry for myself and for the people around the world who were suffering.
Finding His Hand Again
One morning I was full of negative feelings and my mind was racing, so I decided to take a walk around my neighborhood. I finally sat down in the sunshine, watching some ducks paddling in a nearby pond. And for the first time in almost two weeks, my mind cleared. My soul was flooded with peace as I took the time to notice, appreciate, and ponder the magnificent environment that was so full of God’s creations.
My overwhelming loneliness and despair seemed to suddenly ease. I prayed to know how I could keep that comfort and peace with me to help me face these challenges. And I felt that I needed to continue being mindful of the world around me.
So I started taking walks every day. As I walked, I would thank Heavenly Father for allowing me to live in this beautiful area of Australia. Each day I noticed more and more intricate details in nature and discovered quiet spaces I’d never thought to explore before. Once while sitting under an old stone bridge, my heart was overcome with love for my Heavenly Father and my Savior that I even started to sing some of my favorite Primary songs.
It seemed like the more I studied His hand in the natural world, the easier it became for me to recognize His hand in the intricate details of my own life. I recognized that He was still with me.
He Will Always Help Us through
I don’t have all the answers, and not all my problems are solved. I still miss being at school and I miss teaching, but I’ve been filled with gratitude instead of sorrow. I’m grateful I was able to start working from home, which has allowed me to go out for a walk each day. Taking that time to be mindful and connect with Heavenly Father has brought me so much more peace and clarity and faith into my life—truly, He gave me the exact tool I needed to get through this specific challenge.
I know that Heavenly Father loves us, that He hears our prayers, and that He will give us the individual tools we need to overcome our challenges. All we need to do is ask Him for guidance and be willing to listen for His answers. I know that one day, this too shall pass, and one day we will be able to recognize how His hand guided us through.