If there is one thing I think most people can agree upon, it’s that change is hard and transitions can be scary. The “new” tends to carry a little bit of unknown territory, and with that, a little bit of apprehension. While lots of people love new things, they don’t always love new seasons or major changes. I love a new pair of shoes, but I don’t always embrace a life change. It’s the fear of the unknown. We can’t always see what’s to come...
No one knows what is to become of COVID. No one knows when it will end or if it will end or if another pandemic might lurk on the horizon. No one can say with absolute certainty what will happen if we all go back to congregating at restaurants and beaches and ball games. Leaders around the globe struggle to know and decide what the best thing is for regathering their companies/teams/congregations. What a weight they have on their shoulders. While some are eager to reopen and return to the new normal, many are not. Offense rears its ugly head as people’s differing belief systems and opinions crash into each other. But in all honesty, hasn’t that always been present? Offense is continuously on the menu, and for those who choose to eat of it, trouble comes immediately. It’s a giant foothold for the enemy of our souls. He loves when we take the bait and take a bite out of it. He knows it creates distance, isolation, grief, anger, resentment and bitterness. The opposite of what the Lord offers us.
So how can we navigate all this change and uncertainty without losing ourselves and without swallowing a bite of offense? For one thing, I think we have to know the core of who we are. We are LOVED. We are sons and daughters of a good Father. We are chosen, dearly loved, and set apart. We are the Church. We are His hands and feet. We are His ambassadors and Good News bearers. We carry His Presence in us. We have the same power that raised Jesus to life within us. We are His BODY! And let’s not forget that He is the head. He is our reason and our direction and our sustenance and the model of what (or WHO) we should resemble.
If there’s one good thing I think can come from quarantine, it’s that there is an opportunity to devote more time to our Lord with less distraction. We can be praying and seeking His face and His counsel, reading His Word to discover our part in His story, discerning His nature and His heart for us, and reminding each other of our identity. Not our role, but our identity in Christ. Are we confident in our understanding that God forgives us of all our sins and leads us in the everlasting way? Are we established in our knowledge that God has plans to prosper us and to give us hope and a future? Are we taking advantage of the opportunity to engage with the ONLY One that can meet all our needs and give us true peace? If we truly know Him and His love and forgiveness - doesn’t that help us learn and practice showing others love and grace?
Earthly things are temporary - just like this quarantine (hopefully). He desires for our focus to be shifted to what He’s doing. What He’s saying. Jesus modeled this for us. He spent time in the wilderness, too! He spent time in isolation, too. He had to navigate all sorts of change and transition and uncertainty. But He did it all in union with Father God and Holy Spirit. He revealed to us the power that comes from that union. He was the Word made flesh...He lived the Word. He made it alive and active. Visible and tangible.
I don’t have it all figured out and have it all together over here. But I do think the Lord keeps reminding me of all these things to ENCOURAGE my brothers and sisters in Christ. You are not alone - not ever. He walks with you through the valley and wilderness. He abides with you. He empowers your spirit to rise up and lead you into His Kingdom. He offers a much better choice on the menu than offense or despair. He offers HOPE and JOY and PEACE...He offers HIMSELF. He is our portion...our inheritance...our everything.
Blessings!
Kerri
