Did you know that a majority of medical professionals and scientists, as well as The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention listed the loss of taste and smell as the most common symptoms effecting victims who contracted the COVID-19 pandemic virus?

Earlier this year, my daughter, her husband and their 2 young children experienced a bout with Covid that lasted about a month. Thank God they all recovered with little or no lasting effects…all, that is, except my daughter. More than once she has said to me that one of the prolonged debilitating effects of Covid-19 is that she has not regained her sense of smell.

Now the medical term for the loss of the sense of smell is called Anosmia. And some researchers believe that this condition, while not permanent, may last for an extended period of time. At times, my daughter has seen her condition as a blessing and other times as a curse. For example, last week she accidentally burned up the cookies because she forgot to set the stove timer and could not smell them burning. But this week, she scored ‘browny points’ on her new job all because she could not smell the operation of the plant she had been assigned to audit.

Let me explain…

My daughter is a vegetarian and has not eaten nor cooked red meat for a number of years. In fact the very smell of her husband cooking or barbecuing any meat makes her sick. Last week, her work assignment was to audit a meat packing plant that prepares meat and vegetable toppings for pizza companies. She accompanied several plant managers throughout the plant and observed the preparation of these products. Her host company kept asking her how did she feel. Was she becoming nauseous or experiencing an upset stomach? It was explained to her that prior auditors have had to cut their visits short because of the strong smells of cooked foods in the various areas of the plant. But seemingly, these odors did not effect my daughter and they wondered why.

An opportunity to witness…

As my daughter explained her work situation with me, all I could think of was what a wonderful opportunity for me to witness to her about the role our Lord and Savior had played in this incident. I was thinking how negligent my immediate family had become since the pandemic hit and we had not had as many opportunities to discuss church activities and services like we used to.

So at an opportune time during our conversation, I gently said to my daughter, ‘You know, sweetheart, sometimes during an illness, God uses that situation to purify our infirmities like allergies. And He uses them for His purposes. Of course, the Old Testament story about Job found that out the hard way. Job had lived a pure life in every way, yet he needed to learn (through the words of Elihu) that God can use anybody He chooses…whether that person is an enemy or friend of God.

But you found out that what you believed to be a ‘thorn in your side’ after Covid-19 was actually a ‘blessing’ in disguise. Didn’t you say that the managers that you met with told you that they would surely request that your company send you out to conduct future audits because of the professional mannerism in which you performed your tasks?’

My prayer for you and others is this…

“Dear Heavenly Father, I realize that You speak to Your flock in various ways. And during my daughter’s abstention from red meat, she had no clue that her phobia would serve as an opportunity for her to give You thanks and glory. For there is no doubt, that the good report that those managers will send back to her employer, will serve her well in the future. Please help all of us, Dear Jesus, to realize that we must become good listeners in order to point the way to other believers that there are numerous opportunities to turn hearts towards heaven even during sickness and hard times. Yes, this dreadful pandemic called Covid-19 gives us so many avenues to explore and expand our faith in the precious Name of Jesus, Amen.”

Scripture Lesson: “God does speak — now one way, now another– though man may not perceive it. Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones. Job 33:14, 19

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