Does a Pandemic Prove That God Doesn't Exist?

Is Covid-19 a sign that God doesn't exist? After all, why would a loving God allow pain and suffering?

This whole quarantining and social distancing thing has been very interesting, to say the least. And yet, I am only suffering through restrictions, where others are suffering through illness or watching a loved one struggle through an illness, and possibly die.

I work much of my time in Assisted Living Centers and have been brought to tears watching elderly, lonely people becoming more lonely and feeling forgotten. Many do not understand why society has been turned on its head, they only know that their loved ones haven't visited.

A few centers I work in have set-up "Visiting Windows", where loved ones can come to see the residents and interact, without making contact or spreading illness. Tender meetings have happened, where love, tears, and joy were expressed.

In other areas, there's fear and panic. Rushes on the stores have forced limits on certain products, and stickers on the ground specify where you can safely stand so you're not within others' infection circle.

And yet, when President Nelson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints invited all the world to join in a worldwide fast to end the spread of the disease, bless the caregivers, restore the economy and return our lives to normal, literally hundreds of thousands of people joined the fast. Groups were set up on Facebook and other social media platforms and people literally flocked to join in.

Nearly every minute of every day leading up to the fast a new post was made by someone "not of our faith" who wanted to join the fast. Jews, Baptists, Catholics, Muslims, atheists, you name it, they joined. They can from every continent, and nearly every country (the last count I saw said only 40 countries in the world were not represented, but comments to that post brought that number even lower). All wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves, to seek world-wide healing from the master healer.

It was amazing. Within seconds of someone from a different faith posting to ask if they could join, a thousand responses were given to accept, encourage, welcome and bear testimony. Stories were shared of faith, hope and love nearly every minute of every day.

So, what? You say? So a bunch of people skipped a few meals and prayed? How does that prove that God is there and that He cares?

To be honest, I don't even know if the virus has slowed, or if a cure has been found. But I do know that people are changed.

After the fast, one person posted: "When our future grandchildren ask that one question...what was one thing you remember from the COVID-19 era? I will tell them of when the world prayed together."

The power that has touched the lives of so many people, is changing them. Over and over the posts since the fast have repeated, "Please, don't end this group. Please, let us continue to share, learn and feel God's love together. Don't let it end."

We are learning that God doesn't always take us out of difficult situations, instead He often heals us in our circumstances. Oh, I'm certain that this illness will be conquered. But I also know that through this illness, many souls were brought together and felt God's love in a way that they probably wouldn't have ever felt it.

My only hope is that we never forget. That we never forget that when fear gripped the hearts of so many, love, hope, and faith brought many more together and made them united. For just a day or two, Zion was built in our hearts and our communities.

What is my part to make it continue? I cannot change the world, but I can change the way I look at it. I can see brothers and sisters, instead of strangers and foreigners. I can seek to uplift and bless, instead of seeking to avoid or ignore. I can share and give, instead of keeping and guarding. I can choose to see a Heavenly Father who loves every one of His children, and seek to help Him bless His children every day.

I can CHOOSE to keep it going. Will you join me?