[Darris McNeely] They're now calling it pandemic fatigue, the continual shutdown or the fear of shutdown that has been going on since the COVID-19 epidemic began earlier this year. And now many, many months later, we're beginning to see spikes as I speak in the United States and various places. Europe as well is seeing spikes. And they're beginning to talk about shutting down, again, like we did in the earlier part of 2020, and schools, businesses, and the fatigue of people who just had enough.

How about you? Have you got pandemic fatigue?

Well, I have to admit that I have had it at times. And I'm certainly glad to see things begin to open up earlier this year and hope that they can continue to open up. And certainly, we anticipate the vaccine and the eradication of this particular COVID-19 virus. And all of us wanna get back to some type of normalcy in our lives, schools, businesses, etc. But what if it doesn't go? Right? What if we went back into certain areas where they were shut down? How would you react? And beyond that, what really is the antidote to the fatigue that can come to something like this? I think that needs to be thought about. That's what I thought when I saw the headline that I read talking about this.

In Galatians 6:8 through 10, the Apostle Paul makes a comment. Listen to it, "For he who sews to his flesh, will of the flesh reap corruption. But he who sews to the spirit, will of the spirit, reap everlasting life." Contrast between everlasting life and corruption, Spirit of God, motivating us as opposed to a life without that. And he goes on in verse 9, "And let us not grow weary while doing good."

You know, that's what fatigue does, pandemic fatigue is we just get tired of it. Well, Paul here is saying, "Don't grow weary while doing good," while going about our life. "For a new season," he says, "we shall reap if we do not lose heart." And so he's speaking spiritually here to using God's Spirit, using the knowledge of God, the Bible and good works and good deeds, in other words, to stay on top of life and staying vibrant, staying positive, staying healthy. He says in verse 10, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

What Paul is saying here, as an antidote to spiritual fatigue. It's something that we can apply to pandemic fatigue. Sometimes, we really, ultimately, have to get her mind off of ourselves, put it on someone else, look after the needs of another person, and recognize that we are in this for a period of time. And sometimes the best way to finally get through it all when keeping our sanity, keeping a positive frame of mind is to begin to focus on the needs of others. And in a sense, sewing to the spirit, sewing to by good works and good deeds, actions that actually help to avoid pandemic fatigue.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.