We’re in a season of waiting at what we’ve been told might be the height of the coronavirus pandemic here in the United States. I’m not a very patient person and I don’t wait very well.
This kind of waiting doesn’t have a deadline. None of us knows when we will be done sheltering in place or what a return to normality might look like. So we wait, and we work, and we trust the Lord.
If you’re a first responder, many thanks for the work you’re doing while the rest of us wait. We owe you a debt of gratitude If, like me, you’re saving lives by staying home, here are some habits that can help us while we wait.
- Reading scripture every morning. Now that I’m not commuting back and forth to work, I spend even more time reading and studying. Currently I’m reading the gospel of John. During Holy Week, I’ll read about Christ’s trial, crucifixion and resurrection.
- Pray. Pray for the ones you love and the ones they love. Pray for your neighbors. Pray through the headlines. Pray for a miracle. Ask God to be merciful and stem the tide of the pandemic that is upon us. Ask Him to accomplish His kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
- Establish a routine. Get up at the same time every morning. Get dressed. Go outside and take a walk, a run or a bike ride, go about the business of your day.
- Keep a journal. Some day this will all be over. Your children and grandchildren will want to know how you survived the pandemic.
- Help people. Check in on your neighbors. Make sure they’re okay. See if you can buy groceries or pick up a prescription or even a package of toilet paper for them.
- Finish a project you started. Take a look around the place where you live. How can you improve its appearance? Is there a closet you can clean out or a shelf you can clear?
- Start a hobby. My newest hobby is birding. Almost every morning on my walk, I see a different kinds of birds. It’s fun to track.
- Thank God for His goodness. Stop, take a breath, listen to the birds, and thank God that He is still good, even in the midst of our current circumstances. Open up your hand, let go of fear, and thank God that He will meet your needs and take care of the details you are worried about.
None of this is easy. We are living through times unlike any we’ve ever seen before. May God richly bless you as we wait together in the midst of our ambiguity.