A Fresh Beginning - What will you do differently after the Covid -19 lockdown?
It's true. Our "normal" way of life has been disrupted. In-person gatherings have been cancelled, "Zoom" has become both a noun and a verb, ordinary household supplies have become scarce, and tragically, many of our fellow Americans have lost their lives and livelihoods.
Let's face it. Our "control" illusion has been exposed, and the ground beneath our feet feels like it has shifted. Maybe forever. It's a weird feeling, but is that a bad thing? There was a Facebook meme circulating that touted the "World's Worst Purchase of 2019" - A 2020 Planner. Of course this will draw chuckles if your planner is all about scheduling. Good thing The Blaze Planner® has so much more!
Does that mean we give up and just go with the flow, uncertain and anxious about the future, putting everything on hold "until it's over"? Perhaps there is better use of this time? Can we press in to our faith and seek guidance from God about what HE would like our future to be? For me it has been loud and clear - Stewardship.
He owns it all. It is His house, His car, His job, His bank account, His children, and His purposes. A thriving economy can give us a false sense of security. Not that a great economy is bad, but it's hard to fathom that in just a few short months, unemployment, and the short term business outlook is so bleak. What now? Do I cut spending to the bone, so that we are more 'secure' in the future? Actually it's not about our security. I need to fundamentally shift my thinking about money, time, and resources, and ask God with every decision - how would You like for me to spend Your money?
How about you? Maybe it isn't stewardship for you. Maybe it is workaholism, or gluttony, or that ministry He has called you to, or that call to homeschool that you have been resisting because you don't feel you have time or resources. Is it a broken relationship you have stubbornly resisted mending because of pride and a lack of forgiveness? Prayerlessness, Selfishness, or the Curse of Comparison? Whatever it is, put it before the Sovereign Master of the Universe - The Great I Am, The Alpha and the Omega. He has it all planned like a master tapestry. Our job is to understand what He is doing and get in on it.
In the words of Dr. Tony Evans - "Don't Waste Corona." If He has called you He will equip you. Make Him the Master of your day. The great paradox of this life is that when you surrender to God - you win! Take stock of your biggest problems and highest priorities. Pray over them. Then trust God. "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6 (NIV)
The time is now. We aren't promised tomorrow. What an opportunity! What will you do differently?