Paralyzed by Fear of the Invisible Enemy, COVID-19

“Coronavirus, you can’t see it,” says Jo.  “It’s the invisible enemy.” 

In the Spring of 2020, as COVID-19 case numbers increased around the globe, so did Jo Grante’s fears about the mysterious virus.

“Lots of things going through my mind. If I get ill, who’s going to take care of my husband?” wonders Jo. “And I knew that the slightest thing could touch off more health challenges for him.”

Jo’s husband, Jullian, is a disabled veteran of the Vietnam war, who’s in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and at high-risk for COVID-19.

“People were dying, and I thought, ‘Okay, my confidence is in my faith in Christ Jesus,’” says Jo. “But every day there-there was something new.”

Negativity wore her down, mentally and emotionally.

“It was just almost too much, paralyzing, to the point to where I wanted to just stay in bed, and close the blinds, lock the door, turn out the lights, and just stay there,” says Jo.

Then, the anxiety and stress began to cause physical problems for Jo, a mother of two and grandmother of six.

“I’d get so anxious, so tight, my joints hurt,” says Jo. “Or sometimes I’d felt like I’d just been frightened.”

As the months wore on, even getting out of bed or going about her routine became a struggle.

“I would feel as if there were overwhelming challenges ready to face me in-in the day. I mean just standing there ready,” says Jo. “If I had to go to the grocery store or wherever, I’d have this feeling of dread, almost physically ill.”

Constantly, she had to remind herself she wasn’t alone.

“I talk to Jesus like He is my friend, like I do know Him. I was crying out to God, ‘Take this fear from me, Lord please,’” says Jo. “I mean it would go away for a while, but then it was right back. So, I would feel um depressed at times because I couldn’t shake it. I was getting to the point of being concerned for my mental stability,” says Jo. “I really was.”

On August 5, 2020, Jo and Jullian were watching The 700 Club, when Wendy Griffith had a Word of Knowledge.

"There is someone, uh, you’re just overcome with fear of the future and just anxiety all the time, and the Lord just wants to-to remind you that He cares for the sparrows. He cares for the birds of the air.  How much more does He care for you? And that today has enough trouble of its own, don’t fear tomorrow, don’t worry about tomorrow. The Lord has you. And that anxiety is lifting. Now just start praising Him," says Wendy.

“And I thought, ‘Oh, Father, thank you.’ And I thought ‘That’s me! That is me! She’s talking about me,” says Jo. “You have heard my prayers. You haven’t forgotten about me, that You understand what I’m going through, and You want me to know, ‘I’ve got this, Jo, I’ve got this.’” says Jo. “The power fear and anxiety had on me was just shattered, broken, completely gone,” says Jo. “Thank you, Jesus! Thank you!”

Jo says that even though COVID-19 is still a part of our world, her mind, and spirit are at peace.

“I know that the Lord is with me no matter what because He promised it to me,” says Jo. “He-He confirmed it, through this Word of Knowledge. He said, ‘Don’t be anxious about anything. I am with you,’” says Jo.