BY JESSICA LANDMON
I realize how unsettling these times are right now. People are getting sick at record rates, hospitals are at overcapacity, and most frightening, people are dying right in our hometowns. But as scary and uncertain as these times are, we need to make sure that we don’t miss out on the gift that is right in front of us – the gift of time.
I remember back to the days when my kids were very little, before they started school, before dance classes and soccer practices, before all the scheduled events started to fill up our calendar. All we had was time. I would sometimes wake up in the morning and wonder what in the world I was going to fill those long days with – crafts, finger painting, puzzles, dance parties, story time.
“The days are long, but the years are short.” – Gretchen Rubin
Those unplanned, carefree days are obviously a thing of the past for my family. I have a son in college and daughter close behind him. But right now, God has gifted us with a special moment where time is not an issue. Yes, we are all still working and managing school from home, but many hours on the calendar have been freed up given all of our usual activities have been put on hold. With that said, we need to be intentional with how we spend this time, not only with each other, but also in His presence.
Listen, it’s easy to focus our attention on all the negatives that this pandemic brings. In addition to the sickness, death, and economic disruptions that are transpiring, we are also dealing with the cancellation of vacations, school, graduations, and proms. But in the midst of all this, God is giving us something valuable. And if we are not careful, we may very well miss out on His goodness.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28
For the last 14 days, I have basically been alone with family, except for a few isolated trips to the grocery store. And even though being trapped in my house wasn’t topping my to-do list for 2020, I have experienced some of the most special moments with my family and some awesome, refreshing times with the Lord – moments that I would not have normally had.
During our social distancing, we as a family have cooked and have eaten all of our meals together, completed 4 large jigsaw puzzles, played the most intense game of the board game Risk that has likely been recorded in history, went on about a half of a dozen hikes through the woods, had an outdoor bonfire while roasting marshmallows, and most importantly, had special prayer time together, as a family. To add to that, I have had more quiet, uninterrupted time with the Lord than I have seen in a long time.
Now, please don’t think for a moment that I am downplaying the seriousness of this virus. People are fighting for their lives. But even in this tragedy, God can use it for His good, as He always does. So, ladies, I urge you to readjust your focus. Be intentional on how you use this time right now. Seek the Lord’s direction for your life. Get undone before Him in times of worship. Dig into His word like never before.
Because before you know it, we will be right back to the hustle and bustle of life. But hopefully someday, you will look back at this moment in history and realize that hidden underneath all the uncertainty and turmoil, God still had a gift for us – time.