unexpected blessings

Hearing that this shelter-in-place is going to continue for another month, it is hard not to panic.

Another month of this? It seems unbearable.

Another month of uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. Another month of counting down the days until things go back to “normal.” Another month of waiting and watching.

While a month feels daunting to me, I am reminded of the Israelites, who had to wait years in the desert for deliverance. I am reminded of countless characters in the Bible who waited so much longer than one month for God to show up for them, who amidst agonizing trials and deferred hopes kept the faith. And I am encouraged that if these ordinary people can wait patiently and trustingly, than so can I.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
Psalm 27:14

Waiting patiently is not my forte. These long and boredom-filled days force me to analyze how I’m using my time–am I just biding my time until this is all over? There is a difference between actively waiting and passively waiting, and I fear I have been exercising the latter more than the former. Maybe this new deadline is a good thing; with a month ahead of me I have to create new disciplines, routines, and habits to get through it instead of gritting my teeth until it’s over. I have to dive into deeper communion with God, more time with family, projects, and things that I have been putting off in the name of “not having time.” Maybe this new abundance of time is an unexpected blessing for all of us, as we can finally go deeper instead of getting busier.

We don’t have excuses anymore.

If you are privileged as I am to have this ample amount of time and aren’t caring for sick people or scrambling financially, we have an opportunity. We have the opportunity to finally explore ourselves and all of our creative potentials, to learn how God wants us to wait on Him in this time, to sit at His feet and listen to what He is saying to us. We have the opportunity to learn new rhythms of rest and to slow down our over-excited minds and just be. To allow a new appreciation and gratitude to make way, to realize how very blessed we are, and how very good God is. Slowly but surely, we will be refined in the waiting if we do it well.

The news is scary, overwhelming, and changing every day. God remains good, faithful, and constant to his people.

There doesn’t need to be an end date for us to relax; we can trust here and now that He is in control, and use this time of freedom to enjoy His good gifts to the full, joyfully anticipating the hope to come.