Quarantine Contemplations
5 THINGS I LEARNED WHILE LIVING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
In the beginning, I remember it feeling like being aboard a slowly sinking ship. Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned into months. Months of discouraging news headlines. Months of waiting to hear what new guidelines and laws were in place. Initially, I felt paralyzed by feelings of helplessness and anxiety while waiting for everything to go back to normal. But God was quick to remind me that there is no need to stay afraid because He, unlike me, is sovereign. He’s been reminding me of truths like this lately, and perhaps you will find they resonate in your life too, so, here they are.
1. I DON’T NEED TO KNOW THE EXACT DETAILS OF THE FUTURE.
I have always tricked myself into thinking that it is possible to plan for what is going to happen. But the truth is, we never have that absolute certainty. Who am I to say if I will even wake up in the morning? I’ve been finding myself frustrated and worried because I don’t know what my church, school, work, and social life will look like day-to-day, but I’m learning I don’t need exact details. I just need to be faithful to whatever God has for me right now.
2. IT’S OKAY, HEALTHY EVEN, TO SLOW DOWN.
Before the pandemic halted everything in my life, I was probably the busiest I had ever been. Going from a full schedule to almost nothing was a shock. I have heard many others voice similar experiences, often sharing that God must be wanting them to rest and take a break or something, and I admit, I felt the same way. But as I thought about it more, I realized that God commands us to rest in Him all the time, not just during a pandemic. There is a difference between laziness and resting, however. God is displeased by one but commands the other (Exodus 20:8-10). When I get busy running around, it is easier to excuse laziness in my spiritual life because I’m worn out and think I deserve a break. But idleness in this area is not true rest. True rest comes when time with Him is our first priority. God alone says He can give us rest (Exodus 33:14). Lots of other people and things say it, but they cannot fulfill it.
It would be a shame if all this time passes and we are no closer to Jesus than we were when this all started.
3. FOCUSING MORE ON WHO I AM, NOT WHAT I DO, IS KEY.
It is easy to make Christianity a set of actions that include Bible reading, going to church, attending weekly Bible studies, and telling people about Jesus. When I had to stay at home during the worst of the pandemic, I found that I was unable to prop up my relationship with God through church attendance and other godly activities. When we lose sight of why we do what we do, we fail to see the immense grace that God has given us. Behavior modification falls so far short of allowing God to transform our minds and hearts.
4. THE BATTLE DOESN’T STOP.
I have often blamed circumstances when I have a sinful heart and attitude. Isn’t it easy to excuse being short with someone when you’re just so busy, or to ignore someone when you’re simply tired? I have realized that all the junk in my heart is still there, regardless of circumstances. I still need Jesus to pay for my sin. I still need God’s grace and mercy when my schedule is empty and I don’t interact with anything but my thoughts.
5. GOD’S WORK ISN’T ON PAUSE.
Hibernating until this is all over sure would be comfortable, but God is still working, and He desires us to have a role in it. What a privilege it is to join Him! It might look drastically different now, but the heart of it is still the same: loving and serving God and those around us.
A lot of time has already passed between the beginning of the global crisis and now. Perhaps you took the time to learn a new skill or work on a hobby, but hopefully, you’ve also taken the time to know God better and know His Word. It would be a shame if all this time passes and we are no closer to Jesus than we were when this all started.