It’s been just over a week, and we’re all still stuck in the quarantine. Most people were not ready for this, I’m sure. The unpredictable nature of this pandemic has left many people wondering how to cope, also wondering, ‘how long to cope?’ Well, I’m starting a blog and creating video content for the Brentwood Church of Christ. Starting more online interaction has been on my list of things to do for a while now, so here I am. Dare I cliche….. “God works in mysterious ways.”
I hold fast to some of my favorite statements made in the Bible. Romans 8:28: For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose. Uncertainty certainly floods the consciousness, yet certainty in the surpassing promise of all things working for good reigns supreme in my mind. The promise is to all those them that love God, and answer His call. God’s call is everywhere. The whole earth is full of His glory. Though many distractions may spot our eyesight; or perhaps we’re so wrapped up in ourselves or our own stuff, that we fail to see His glory. For some odd reason, looking back yields a greater capacity for eyesight. Go ahead a try looking back. Look for God. You’ll see Him, or signs of Him. Little bits of wisdom shining through. Sometimes He works through other people, or a bill board. God and His wisdom are not hard to find. Wisdom’s voice can be heard outside, in the streets, and in the markets. Where people gather together. Wisdom shouts things like, “How long will you ignore me? If you don’t answer me, I’ll be gone!” If this epidemic isn’t a time to reflect, boy I’m telling you, I don’t know when will be a good time to reflect.
Preparations
Maybe you didn’t prepare for the pandemic. It came quite suddenly. Some people are always ready for this kind of stuff. They have an underground fortress with a year’s worth of beans and top ramen. Kudos to them; the rest of us don’t have that kind of foresight. However, I would like to address one kind of preparation that is perhaps even more important:
Mental Preparation:
You may not have been psychologically ready for this bizarre period of time that we are engaged in… no worries. My point in bringing it up is to learn from such mistakes. Being in a state of isolation can end up being an opportunity to really focus on the self. This may be that golden opportunity to turn off the entertainment and turn on the discipline. Tackle a short book from the New Testament. I highly recommend Philippians. But don’t just read it. Get to know it. Get to where you can quote it. Internalize it. Love it. Let it correct you. Let it comfort you. Let it encourage you. Make it a part of your vocabulary. It is a spiritual text. It has the capacity to change your heart and mold your mind. It’s so simple. What I say now, I mean, and believe: If you have Philippians chapter 4 in your heart and mind, then you’re mentally prepared for calamity.