As the nightly routine was winding down, I went to check on my kiddos, who had just showered and were climbing into bed oh so nicely and quietly (anyone who is a parent knows this isn’t true 😉). I went to kiss my 5 year old goodnight and when giggles erupted, I knew that something was up. I untucked her sheet and saw her dressed from head to toe in her school uniform (backpack and all). When asked why, she simply said “I know Mama, but I just miss school and this outfit so much!”
For a 5 year old, not seeing her teachers and friends for the last few weeks is hard. Knowing that most likely she won’t be able to finish her Kindergarten year is even harder. And while these things are difficult in her little world, the reality is that this pales in comparison to how most peoples’ lives have been turned upside down. Jobs lost, weddings cancelled, family members sick, businesses closing, schedules destroyed and the list goes on and on.
It’s easy, at least for me, to live in this place of “when this is all over.” When this is all over, we’ll get back to normal. When this is all over, routines will start and kids will be in school. When this is all over, life will be be more exciting again and peace will come easier. Yet, as I’m slowly learning day by day, this isn’t what God has for us in this midst of this unique season.
As John Piper stated, “God not only comprehends the coronavirus; he has purposes for it. God does nothing, and permits nothing, without wise purposes. Nothing just happens. Everything flows from the eternal counsels of God (Ephesians 1:11). All of it is wisdom. All of it is purposeful. For those who trust Jesus Christ, all of it is kindness.”
ALL of this is PURPOSEFUL. ALL of this is KINDNESS. For those who trust Jesus, none of this time is wasted. Not to say, there’s not room for grief or sadness. There’s plenty of room to cry out to God when our lives are uprooted and change is drastic. Yet, it’s what we do afterwards and how we move forward that shows we trust our good Father.
When we say, Lord you are RICH in wisdom, it shows we believe His purposes are greater than we could comprehend. When we choose joy amidst the monotony, it shows our gladness comes in Him alone and not our circumstances. When we live faithfully one day at a time, it shows that we believe He daily carries our burdens.
I have so much to learn during this time. Over the past few weeks, I’ve said my fair shares of “Im sorry” and “please forgive me” as we continue to learn how to navigate life in this new and different season. Yet, I don’t want to look back and see that I lived these months in a spirit of “when this is all over.”’ Instead I want to look back and think, yes it was hard, but as I daily kept my eyes fixed on Him, He filled me with joy, peace, and grace even GREATER.
-Megan Herring, GEM Co-founder