How Satan Has Benefited from COVID-19

COVID-19 has profoundly impacted our society. Schools have been shut down, and students have learned through remote instruction. Business have shuttered their doors, and workers have been forced into unemployment lines. Hospital ICUs have been filled beyond the breaking point. Families have been forced to say goodbye to loved ones, and many of those goodbyes have been on the telephone instead of in person.

The church of our Lord is no different. And, Satan has, I believe, greatly used COVID to impact the church’s work to his advantage; unfortunately, Satan has often been successful in twisting the current coronavirus pandemic to his advantage.

• Many souls have gotten out of the routine of regular worship. Elderships have had no choice but to cease the normal Sunday assembly and move to online streaming or encourage family worship. However, after a year of no longer assembling with the saints, some are now in the habit of “neglecting to meet together” (Heb 10:25).
• Many souls have become too comfortable with being home. I enjoyed the months I spent at home—I binged some TV shows I hadn’t seen yet, I spent time outside in the sunshine with my wife and dog, and I loved spending time with my family. Yet now that it’s time to get back to work in the kingdom, many are too comfortable in the lazy routine of the pandemic.
• Many souls have been lost to an eternal hell. Evangelism was slow before the pandemic, but during the past several months, I fear that the sharing of our faith has become almost nonexistent. I can’t help but wonder how many souls have been lost because opportunities have been missed.
• Many souls have missed fellowship. Man was never meant to live in isolation (cf. Gen 2:18), but many have been forced to do so over the past year. Therefore, loneliness, isolation, and depression have exploded in our current climate.[1]
• Many souls have been neglected. Many sick and shut-in haven’t had the contact they need or deserve in the past year. Yes, I fully understand that was unavoidable—we couldn’t risk carrying some deadly disease to them. Yet, we cannot allow this past year to become the norm.

I have no idea when things are going to be completely “normal” again. We can’t wait until then to be working in God’s vineyard. Let’s get busy today!

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[1] https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/ Accessed April 19, 2021.

This article was originally written by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., for the weekly newsletter at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.