Grupo de Psicólogos Evangélicos

UPDATED EDITION

When we were preparing the SURVIVAL IN TIMES OF CRISIS HANDBOOK a few months ago, none of us imagined that the critical situation we were going through at that time would present itself with this level of sustained and profound uncertainty so long afterwards. We all thought, perhaps somewhat naively, that this would be easier. Today, we still do not see the end of the tunnel we are going through. In a sense, we could almost say “we just know that we don’t know anything.” We are still trying to find patterns that will help us to understand more of what is going on around us, and to enable us to make decisions as coherently and as quickly as possible. It is certainly not easy, and we have a long way to go.

That is why, in the midst of this “second wave” that we are experiencing, and in the face of the reality that it may well not be the last; faced with the vision of a tunnel that, for many, is narrowing, and a road that seems to us to be long and winding, we ask ourselves what we can contribute as a Group of Evangelical Psychologists from our resources: to those that the Lord has placed at our disposal to serve, to be of help in the face of the pain that surrounds us and also in the face of the pain that seems to be approaching with force.

This new handbook you hold in your hands is one of those possible initiatives to meet some needs in the midst of this darkness. We know, as we have already explained, that this situation requires the absolutely supernatural intervention of the One who is truly above all circumstances: God Himself, who certainly allows them, but who also controls them and who sets limits to the evil that so often takes advantage of these moments to lead us to doubt our Father’s love and His provision of good for us. But we also understand that, as people who are dedicated to the study of behaviour in its broadest expression, we have a responsibility to contribute what the Lord has given us as a gift and a calling: our profession, which, subject to the Spirit, can be so helpful at times like these.

The aim is very clear: to provide practical resources and an approach that will help to cope with this time as much as possible. We are not alone in this. The same Lord who calls us also accompanies and empowers us. We will approach this content from the discipline we know, of course, but primarily from the faith we profess and the absolute authority we find in the Word of God to guide our lives.

Take, then, from these pages what can serve you personally and help you to accompany others. It is a time not only of solidarity, but also of deep love in movement for one another, and we hope that this material can help us.

As we emerge from the tunnel, and regardless of circumstances, we said it before and we reiterate it now: God is in control and He is good at all times.