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If you hadn’t noticed, a lot has changed for us as a people in the United States. We’ve suddenly found ourselves and our normal lives uprooted and changed because of our current circumstances.

We’re wearing masks everywhere, we’re six feet away from people in restaurants, grocery stores are opened less, people are being asked to stay home when sick, travel is limited.

This new way of life has caused many to be stressed and frustrated.

What has frustrated you during this time? Maybe it is extra work, or having no work? Or maybe its being too close to people in your house for too long? Maybe it is a dwindling of finances, and fear surrounding the future?

Just a simple frustration I have had is the feeling of isolation with travel restrictions around businesses and places of recreation being set in place.

How are you dealing with your current frustrations?

For many, escape is found through digital entertainment. Things like Netflix, Disney+, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and video games. I recently heard a statistic that on average, a person will scroll so much on their phone in one year, that it is the physical equivalent of climbing mount Everest. That is 5 1/2 miles tall!

Others may find escape in hobbies like fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking, biking, climbing, or camping. For others, according to an article from the Washington Post, substance abuse is unfortunately on an alarming rise.

Suspected overdoses nationally — not all of them fatal — jumped 18 percent in March compared with last year, 29 percent in April and 42 percent in May. What is it that you use to escape from the stress of the world, and is it truly helpful?

I think the reality is that things like social media, hobbies, and addictions can leave us wanting. We’re never truly satisfied, we never truly feel rest, and we’re always left wanting more. We continue to scroll through facebook, we don’t always snag that perfect fish or shoot the biggest buck, and substance abuse devastates the lives of individuals and families.

So, is there anything that can give us true relief from our current circumstances? I believe there is.

I want you to know that you can find rest from the toils and frustrations you face, which are ultimately the effects of our own sin and the effect sin on the rest of the world, in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Listen to these words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I
am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Do you feel like you have a weight upon you that is heavy, and unbearable? Have you sought escape in different places but found no relief? Understand that Jesus faced the same things we do, and yet was without sin. And though He was perfect, He willingly took our sin, and the just punishment for sin, on the cross. He rose victoriously from the grave three days later and now promises us peace with God and others if we turn from our sin, and place our faith in Him.

In Philippians 4:4-7 the apostle Paul says that we should “… not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

If you would like to speak with me about this, you can call Wellsboro Bible Church at 570-724-3741, or email me at joshua@wellsborobible.com. Until next time, thank you for joining us for another edition of back to basics on the home page network.