Now I’m not sure if depression is a known side effect of Covid, and I’ve fought it all my life, but DANG. Lets do a recap. I come home early from a men’s retreat with my church, Covid kicks my ass for 3 days straight with congestion, brain fog, fever, chills, the whole kit and caboodle. Day 4, most of the symptoms are gone besides the brain fog and general lethargy.
Day 7, I’m feeling well enough to get out of the house and go to church, yay! Day 8 I try to work out and after 6 minutes find myself a gasping, pathetic mess. Fast forward to the start of week 3. I think I’m good, I feel 99% good, I even get a workout or two in. Enter the funk and general post-infection malaise. Friday of week 3 I wake up at 2am coughing violently.
Heavy congestion has me. It’s back… oh good grief.
Saturday? Gone. WHAT.
Finally week 4 comes along. I still have an occasional cough (first time I got Covid 2 years back I had a month long cough after, this one is better). But my mood is absolute GARBAGE. I noticed I’m drinking a bit more so I put a stopper in that. Wednesday (two days ago) I get home from the office completely dead inside. Yesterday? Felt dead outside too.
Now when this month of fun began and I was distracted by illness, not only did I stop working out but I also stopped reading. That included my bible. Something I’ve noticed over the past few years, the longer I go without getting into the Word (listening to sermons/music doesn’t count) the worse my mood and attitude get. Remove exercise too? I’m a real charmer.
So a few days back I made the time and got back into the Word. I’ve been working through Acts in my own study. I also started working out this past Monday but last night… I neither wanted to read the good book, OR get on my exercise machine. I get to about 8pm, sitting on my couch with a bunch of candy wrappers (no trick-or-treaters this year)…
Then it hits me… the bits of scripture I’ve highlighted this past week.
Acts 3:6 – In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
Acts 3:16 – And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Acts 4:11-12 – This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Look to Jesus, accept Him, find strength through faith in Him, RISE UP AND WALK.
So I did. My mood today? 5 by 5. I’ve got a long day of work ahead of me, but I have faith it will be a productive one. My eyes need to be on God. My focus needs to be on God. If I keep him in sight then whatever I’m doing will (hopefully) be for my good and His glory. Best I can do is keep trying, keep rising, and keep walking.
God Bless.
