I know what you’re thinking- “Oh great, another blog post about coronavirus and being stuck at home…“. Just stay with me, I’m going somewhere with it! Like you, I’ve been through the whole gamut of emotions over this whole situation. The anxiety of the unknown, the disappointment of missing out on things I was looking forward to, the frustration of distance learning, and so on. I’m also tired of the phrase “our new normal”. This situation is not particularly normal, and that phrase implies that things will be like this forever. They won’t be. I promise.
But, will things go right back to the way they used to be? Nope. And honestly, I hope they don’t. Remember just a few weeks ago we’d bump into a friend and ask, “How are you?”. The answer was inevitably, “Things are so busy right now!”. And you’d go, “Yeah, me too! I can’t catch a break!”. Yup, that was me. Always on the go, always having a too-full calendar. And then, all the sudden… nothing. Wow, what a difference!
We’ve been presented with a unique opportunity. I’ve heard from so many people that now, with more free time, they’re exercising regularly, they’re able to spend quality time in the Word, they’re spending time on the phone catching up with family, the list goes on. So the question is, when things go “back to normal”, what are we going to allow back into our lives? What things should take priority? Of course, this will vary by person, but you have the chance to hit the reset button and change the course of you and your families path.
Maybe now’s the time to check with your children about what activities they love most, and then decide what other things can go (you can help by deciding how much time you want to invest in being a chauffeur!). For those of you who are spending a lot of time decluttering, ask yourself what you will allow into your home once the stores are back open. Take note of the things that you are truly missing, and carefully consider how to add them back in without overwhelming your schedule.
I want to leave you with these verses-
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
As we’re in this time of waiting and uncertainty, remember that God’s peace surpasses all our understanding. He knows what’s next. Ask Him for this peace and lean on Him.
