People Turn to God During Time of Crisis
By Emilee Redfern
January 29, 2021
The year 2020 was undoubtedly a time of crisis, devastation, and fear of the unknown. From the raging fire in Australia that destroyed nearly millions of acres, killed countless wildlife, and left thousands of people homeless, to the ongoing systematic racism that has taken too many innocent lives, to the global pandemic that has caused unemployment and a tragic amount of deaths, our planet hasn’t been able to catch a breath of fresh air.
Given the unpredictable state of the world, people have fixed their eyes on a higher savior for answers. According to YouVersion, the creators of the Bible app, their app “...was installed on more than 22 million unique devices, totaling more than 60 million devices worldwide” in the year 2020 alone. The YouVersion community claims that this past year was record-breaking, as there was an 80% increase in searches, which was equivalent to about 600 million total searches within the app. These outstanding numbers came as no surprise to YouVersion founder, Bobby Gruenewald, who had also experienced the negative effects of the past year and continued to turn to God for hope. Additionally, the app’s Verse of the Year was none other than Isaiah 41:10: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Licking County, Hanover, OH ‒
Mr. Wes Miller, beloved English teacher at Licking Valley High School, had his own share of trials and tribulations in 2020. He is the father to a set of twins, Luke and Kendall Miller, who were seniors this past year at LVHS. Mr. Miller shared that, due to the CoronaVirus pandemic that broke out in March of 2020, the twins (along with the rest of the graduating class) were unable to take part in several opportunities that they always had been involved in, that is, in a normal year; these included track season, prom, and graduation, all of which did not take place as expected.
“Unfortunately, the pandemic destroyed the opportunity to make those memories,” Mr. Miller recalled. Despite the challenging circumstances that Mr. Miller and many others experienced, he feels that the uncertainty of the past year allowed him to become more solidified in God's plan and His will.
Mr. Miller has also noticed a significant religious shift within the Licking Valley community.
“...a lot more believers are going much ‘deeper’ with their faith,” Mr. Miller explains, claiming that people are much more open to having conversations about God living in today’s world, where the future is a little more unpredictable. He has observed that “...even people who may not believe, or whose faith is only an auxiliary part of their persona, seem to be searching for answers and are more open to considering a biblical perspective.”
According to an Instagram Poll recorded by journalist Emilee Redfern, 63 out of 84 (75%) students felt that the events of 2020, specifically the CoronaVirus, led them to consider a biblical perspective and/or helped them to grow deeper in their faith. This is, of course, a great percentage, and it proves that God is constantly working miracles here on earth, even in the midst of a crisis.
Sources
Miller, Wes. Personal Interview. 28 Jan 2021.
Followers. Instagram Poll. 2 Feb 2021.