Finding the Light

2019 was a rough year, specifically for me. I went through a lot spiritually and was ready for a fresh start. I thought when the new year hit everything would be easy and much better. But no one expected what was coming in March of 2020.

Before I get into that, let me take you down the start of 2020 in a nutshell. January, great. February, not so great. I spent the entire month trying to reinvent myself I guess you could say and see myself the way God sees me. That mainly consisted of forgiving myself for not being perfect and gaining new confidence in myself. And when I finally reached that point, it seemed like the world immediately started crashing around me.

My dad got rushed to the ER one evening and I didn’t see him or even know what was going on for 16 hours straight. I got overwhelmed by papers and schoolwork. And then, things got real for a lot of people.

If you’re reading this and the time frame is not April-June 2020 or you have no idea what I am talking about or you’re looking back on what you know I am about to say, congratulations. You survived the pandemic of March, 2020. Towards the beginning of the month, news of a virus was spread. COVID-19 or, Corona. Not many Americans worried about because it took place mainly in European countries. But then just like news of it’s arrival, the virus spread like a wildfire. Before we knew it we were in a pandemic and in the blink of an eye the world just stopped. Governors closed down schools, stores and restaurants closed, people lost their jobs. Not long after many states were ordered to stay at home. At this point it seems that COVID-19 has affected nearly everyone in the world in some way.

Never did I think I’d see the day where I actually had to worry about food or money or what I was going to do in my house for 30 days. Currently I’m bored out of my mind, stressed like crazy, kinda lonely, and it sucks. It really does. But if you know me, you know that’s not where this is going 😉

Life has a way of hitting us harder than we think we can handle. One minute everything is normal and the next the vast majority are filing for unemployment and afraid to step outside their homes. But strife has a way of showing us what really matters in life.

I know you’ve all heard plenty of sappy quotes about how this virus isn’t that bad so I’m not gonna try to convince you. It’s bad. People are dying, some are watching those they care about die, others don’t know how they are going to put food on the table… I’m not making light of the situation. But as hard as it is waiting and not knowing, because believe me I know it is, I also know that this won’t last forever. Someday soon we’ll all be getting back to our normal lives like nothing ever happened. But maybe try to appreciate this little time we get to just ‘be’ in the world. I know we’re all worried but the Bible says we’re not promised tomorrow. And I know I just said someday this will be over but we’re also not promised that day. So while I don’t want you to think we’ll never see the end of this virus, I also don’t want you to miss out on the good things it can bring.

This past month I’ve honed my sewing skills, learned to cherish moments with my family more, learned to cook (sort of), reconnected with old friends, and felt the presence of God immensely. Maybe you’ve done similar things like taken up a new hobby, spent time with your loved ones, taken a walk outside, the list goes on. This virus has been and still is a test of faith. It’s a season of waiting and praying and struggling to trust God has a purpose for this crisis and a plan for its end. But if there’s anything I’ve learned these past few weeks its that God never abandons his children. He has been here in every aspect of this crisis if we just knew where to look. Grocery stores have stayed open, presidents have made financial promises, has anyone noticed the amount of commercials on TV that talk about how they want to help or stopped to appreciate the beautiful weather we’ve had lately? You may not be religious but you can still be aware of these things and appreciate them.

Soon enough we may not have as much of an opportunity to enjoy family time, or read a book, or take a nap! And I know you’ve heard stuff like that before but it’s true. God has given us a test of faith yes, but what if the test is not only to trust him during the storm, but to find the light in it because I promise you it’s there. We just have to look.

So I urge you today to yes be careful, stay healthy, stay home, but also try to enjoy the opportunities within the comfort of your own home. Appreciate this time of rest and above all, be patient. I know we all just want peace but to get it, we have to be patient. After all, “good things come to those who wait.”

Thanks for reading!