The Elusive Virus

Viruses are microscopic intruders that enter our bodies, infiltrate our cells, and hijack our systems to reproduce and cause infection. They are the culprit of many diseases including AIDS, chickenpox, measles, COVID-19 and even the common cold.

‘A virus has three purposes: to duplicate, to infiltrate and to spread from one host to the next. Ultimately, even a single virus can shut down an entire system.’

– Wayne Dyer

Our immune system, developed through natural exposure and immunization, is triggered by the presence of these viruses and thus, works to eliminate them. As our immune system goes to war against our adversary, we begin to feel the effects of the battle. We experience several symptoms, such as fever and chills, as a protective response.

Now, we can see the same process mirrored in our personal lives whereby we experience symptoms such as fear, doubt, worry, shame, humiliation, pain, rejection, offense etc. from intangible ‘viral’ infections. Often, we are focused on treating the symptom without identifying the virus that is at play. Like with a physical viral infection, we need to target the root cause of the problem for effective treatment. For example, someone would not be prescribed Paxlovid for Sars-Cov-2 virus (COVID-19) when the virus is morbillivirus (measles). So, we must ask ourselves what virus we are at war with.

‘The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none.’

– Thomas Carlyle

Many times, our personal systems are the very things that hinder us and unknowingly become viruses. These involve our upbringings, beliefs, traditions, relationships etc. that may have grown outdated for the stage of life we are in. These viruses, much like their tangible counterpart, quench our potential and limit our growth. For example, you may have been that friend that always helps others but now find yourself emotionally drained having poured from an empty cup. Or you may have been the person afraid of conflict but now battling fear as you struggle to speak up for yourself. All these outdated systems have become viruses and the situations in our lives challenge them, which produces the symptoms that we face.

Faced with a viral infection, our immune system either overcomes it or requires the help of a vaccine to defeat its adversary. Similarly, those intangible viruses that arise from outdated systems cannot easily be destroyed for a new, stronger one to be built. It requires work. It requires time. It requires healing. It requires help.

'Do not let thoughts that go against the truth of God to go unmanaged'

– 2 Corinthians 10:5 (MSG)

It is important to sit back and evaluate our lives to identify these viruses. We must analyze the systems, i.e., values that no longer serve us and hinder us from reaching our full potential. So, my question to you today is, what is your ‘virus’? What is hindering you that you have seen the symptoms of? What work do you need to do to eliminate the virus?