You know when you’re on vacation at the beach and there’s nowhere to be except to just BE? Long walks, cooking, reading, porch sitting, people watching, puzzle making, and chatting with neighbors. In that sense, this life lately has felt similar, and I’m soaking it up.
The nothing-ness has been a gift and the slowness has given me a stillness of heart. For me, being two months postpartum, I probably would be picking back up a busy schedule by now- daily errands, events with friends and family, church gatherings, weekend activities, and everything else that fills our days. While I miss the normalcy that these events bring, with nothing on the calendar, I’ve been forced to fill my time with other slow, home-happenings instead, and it’s actually been quite refreshing.
Yes, I realize there have been and are still to come many negative and devastating outcomes as a result of this in areas all across the board (in families, in homes, in businesses, etc.). No, this is not a hopeful situation. BUT as Christians we still have hope in times as scary and uncertain as these. Even when the news gives us anxiety, even when the stock market changes fill us with fear. Even when we don’t know what the future holds. We can STILL experience legitimate hope and joy. How? Because of these two simple truths:
- God is good all the time
- God is with us all the time
That means God is still good right now. When the whole world is in a frenzy and nothing is certain. That means God is still with us right now. When our days are ever-changing, and we don’t know what tomorrow will hold. In this hectic, frustrating, and awful mess, because of a good God who is with us, we can experience true comfort and peace that only He can bring.
In the midst of all the chaos, what gifts from God have you seen during these days? Maybe your days haven’t contained reading or porch-sitting. Maybe your life has gotten MORE crazy in these times- with kids at home or work picking up. But what is it for you right now that you have found to be good, hopeful, or joyful?
