God Help Us-Coronavirus Pandemic and Social Ills Affecting Happiness Levels

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, followed by civil unrest, caused by the senseless death of George Floyd, is taking a toll on the American psyche.   According to studies people in the U.S. are more unhappy today than they've been in nearly 50 years. We are living through strange times. Things are out of whack. Just going to a store requires planning, strategy and some level of anxiety as you have to wonder if the person next to you coughs, will you get sick. Or even die.
2020 was suppose to be the start of a new promising decade, and then the unimaginable happened. Bill Gates and others predicted it, but no one planned for it. Just like that, out of nowhere, a pandemic, followed by civil unrest and a reckoning with racial injustice.
Life is fragile. There are no guarantees.
But when things get better, whenever that is, I'm sure they'll find that people who prayed, who stayed connected to their faith, who gained strength and courage from their faith, will have faired better. That's always the case.
What is God thinking? Who can know the mind of God? No one of course. But I imagine God is thinking that we've gotten ourselves into a big mess. We were underprepared and careless and even now are not doing enough to stop the pandemic. We have taken too long to heed Jesus' words and put them into practice about loving our neighbor as ourself. We are all children of God and deserve to be treated with respect and given opportunities for growth. All the world's major religions teach that you should, "Do unto others as you would have them do onto you." The Golden Rule.
Lord we need your help. Send your mercy upon us ASAP.
NJA

All Human Beings Deserve to be Treated With Respect and Dignity As Children of God

The tragic death of George Floyd is horrific and all people of good will are horrified by the circumstances surrounding his killing. This should never have happened and it should never happen again. I pray that needed changes come about that give all human beings a chance for a good, holy happy life, free of injustice. A first class education for all, is a good start, starting in preschool. All children deserve to grow up with a chance to succeed. Religious institutions, corporations and government all need to take an active role in restoring opportunities and excellent education for all people, from young to old.
During the pandemic I started the practice of journaling again. Journaling is good for you and has many benefits. Many spiritual seekers and saints have journaled throughout their lives. What I do is when a Scripture verse or famous quote or a quote from a spiritual book "touches" me, or "speaks" to me,  I write it in a notebook. I then go back to it....this way every morning or evening I don't have to search for a quote to journal about, I have them ready in the notebook. This quote which I wrote down recently, is timely.
"May God set all creation free from slavery and corruption that it may share in the glorious freedom of the children of God" (Romans 8:21).
Please Lord may we see all people treated as children of God and given the chance for success and freedom to live in happiness, contentment and peace, in a just and fair world. Amen.
NJA