Nothing is more important than our relationship with God. He will always remain faithful to us—even if we aren’t. Here is a story of a doctor who was reminded of God’s immeasurable love for her while recovering from COVID-19.

I am a doctor and a full-time mom to my daughter. Because of my two challenging “jobs,” I was always busy—I hardly had time to rest and spend some quiet time with God. 

In March, I was exposed to a patient who had a hard time disclosing his true travel history. He felt compelled to withdraw that information out of fear. So when he tested positive for COVID-19 a week later, I knew there was a possibility that I had contracted the virus, too. I had been preparing myself for the worst even before that happened but it was different at that time. It became more real to me.

On April 1, as expected, my test results came back positive. I had no fever, cough, or breathing difficulties—but I had severe headaches, occasional chest pains, and diarrhea. I thought I was prepared for what would happen. But I was wrong. Being one of the first few who contracted the disease made me doubt if I would still get well. It was an uncertain, scary experience. It didn’t feel right to be in the hospital, clad in personal protective equipment (PPE), not as a doctor but as a patient. 

While in quarantine, filled with worry—not just for myself but also for my daughter whom I had close contact with—God revealed so many things to me. I felt a gentle nudge from Him, like a father asking his child to hold his hand and come home after wandering away for so long.

Ironically, it was during that time that I remembered how much I actually missed spending time with God. It was part of my daily routine to read my Bible and have quiet time with Him when I was growing up. But somewhere along the way, other things became more important to me. The exhaustion brought by my responsibilities at home and at work became a convenient excuse for me to put off my relationship with Him. And though unexpected, because of what happened, I finally had the chance to rekindle an old love. My ugly situation was turned into a beautiful time spent with God. Every day was filled with hope from His word and grace.

When my second swab result came back negative, I was happy and thankful, but I was also worried that I would just go back to my old, busy self and have no time for God again. I considered it a favor when I was told that I would have to stay isolated for a few more days and wait for another test. It was a gift that allowed me to have a week of pure time alone with Him. It reminded me that even if my love for Him had dwindled, His love for me is the same.

On April 10, I was finally discharged from the hospital after getting the result of my third swab test. It was a sweet time that God later used so He could minister to my colleagues who—one by one—started contracting the disease, too. He inspired me to form a support group inside our hospital that helped them find hope in the midst of a trying situation.

My journey against COVID-19 reminded me that in this life, nothing is more important than our relationship with God. He will never abandon us, especially at the lowest point of our lives. His love will always remain faithful to us—even if we weren’t faithful from the start. 

What I went through also made me appreciate every waking moment. Every additional day with God and my loved ones is a blessing. I may be a doctor, but only He can bring healing to the wounded parts of my soul. And though we don’t always put Him first, we can be assured that we will always have His love.

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Doc Dial is part of our church in Los Baños. She continues to minister to those who are battling with COVID-19 by sharing God’s message of hope and healing.