Coping With COVID

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2a [NIV]

Lately there has been a plethora of things that hinder!  I don’t know if you can relate, but every time I chose to do something, I realize that it will be different because of COVID. And that hinders me and makes me stop cold. Today, to me, this is what the what the verse above is addressing. Issues of COVID tie up my excitement and creativity in a little knot and easily entangle me in a downward progression of thoughts. If you can relate to this, then keep on reading. There is good news ahead.

Are we stuck in this entanglement of coping with the hindrance of COVID, or is there a better way?  Is there a way out of this daily, as folks in the South say, “whoopin’? ” As I was reading a devotional from a friend, I was drawn to the above passage in Hebrews 12.  Embedded in it was a way to cope and live in this time victoriously.  It starts with telling us to run the race. There were no contingencies. It said to run. Don’t sit and worry. Don’t wait to feel like it. Just get started.  And it also says the path is marked for us to run. Right now our path is terribly curvy. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. We can’t see around the next bend, but we can make up our minds to persevere and run today’s path.  And what is more, we are given instructions on how.  Fix your eyes on Jesus.  Don’t fix your eyes on what might be looming ahead. Don’t even fix your eyes on today’s tasks. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  So how do you fix your eyes on Jesus?

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

‘Fixing your eyes’ is all about focus.  Our focus is what determines how we live our life. This is a choice of putting the emphasis on God. So rather than choosing to feel wrung out and tired, I will choose to feel needed, essential and invested.  It is a choice. Placing my eyes on my blessings and what is good in my life places my focus on the God who gave me these blessings. So today if I am grateful, I will see the fruit of that gratitude which is peace and overflowing joy.  And then tomorrow, for the new peace and joy, I am more grateful and pretty soon I am in a perfect cycle of blessings!  Gratitude inspires gratitude. This isn’t about adopting a ‘PollyAnna’ attitude. Gratitude doesn’t deny how hard things are, it just puts the emphasis on the good. And God is the goodness in our lives. 

How COVID Could Make You Better

 Since we have the time, let’s take a break from worrying to imagine something better together. Out of this weird COVID time, there will come some benefits. Think of the creativity that has been given time to grow and mature. Maybe busy writers will at last have time to write that book series that will leave J.K. Rowling in the dust! What about the beautiful songs that are being written? Maybe some song writer is writing the most beautiful tune ever hummed. What works of art are being designed? Move over Picasso! What movie score is being written that will rise to your top ten list?

Think of the intimate social interactions forged by this slower pace. What family ties are being reinforced? What things outside of our comfort zones have been tried? What important conversations happened that never would have at the normal hectic pace of life? What words are being understood that were never given the time to sink in before? What stories will you have to tell the next generation?

Think of the quiet that is required to hear the voice of God. It is that hush-and-be-still time that feeds our soul.  What about the time that is being spent talking to God that was rushed and forced before? What wonders of God have been revealed to children who, out of boredom, were forced to seek recreation outside?

Think of the gratitude we now have for the privileges we once took for granted. An attitude of gratitude that some happy people possess is growing in all of us. Think about the appreciation that has grown for the privilege of time with friends. I don’t know about you but I now understand what a privilege it was to sing with a large group in praise. And of course, even for those of us who are not huggers, we are beginning to appreciate the human touch.  When you think about it, waiting for this time to be over is like waiting for Christmas. What wonderful presents will we find and appreciate like never before?

Last Sunday(online of course), my pastor said something that resonated with me. He said, “It is time to roll up our sleeves instead of taking a wake-me-up-when-it-is-over attitude.” This will end. But until then, don’t dwell on the negative and the doubt, but slap on a face mask and get about your business. And if your business is gone, spend your time thinking of ways to help someone else, and do it.

Silly Things

Should we thank God for luxuries? It seems so silly since luxuries are things we really don’t need. Luxuries are silly things. Shouldn’t we sell them and give that money to the poor? Well, I thank God everyday for my swimming pool. Yep. That is silly. But to me, getting that pool was God putting the whipped cream on top of the chocolate milkshake.

As a small child from a poor family living in Kansas, I was introduced to a backyard swimming pool when we visited my wealthy aunt and uncle in Dallas. In the 1960’s only the very wealthy had in-ground pools. My uncle was an electrical engineer and part owner in a company that did the electricity for many big Dallas venues including Six Flags. Their pool made such an impression on me that I spent too much of my time trying to find a way to visit my aunt. That pool was the ultimate luxury in my book!

2009 is a date that is engraved in my memory much like 2020 will go down in world history. In January of 2009, Kevin and I began our journey through what is sometimes called a sifting. Suffice it to say, it was a ‘grab your torch and pitchfork’ type of situation and we were at the pointy end. Since then, I realized that this type of experience is inherent to those with a public job and sadly, many school superintendents and pastors go through this. However, when we were going through this dreadful experience it seemed very personal. Yet somehow, in all the chaos, Kevin and I grew closer to God and closer to each other.

It wasn’t long until an opportunity in a new place opened and in June of 2009 we moved to a new town and began our new jobs, closing the door on that difficult season of life. In our new town, we found that as soon as one blessing arrived, another would follow until there was no denying that God’s deliverance was behind it all. The house we really wanted was a bargain and one of only a handful of suitable homes available in our school district. And it came with a beautiful big pool in the backyard. Be still my heart! As we were moving into that home, I realized it was God tapping me on the shoulder saying, “Look how much I love you.”

So now I thank God for that silly thing, that luxury, because I remember how He delivered us through a storm.

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