It is Well

Life has been weird. If you are reading this, then you already know about the world-wide life altering pandemic named COVID-19 or coronavirus. We’ve been instructed to quarantine ourselves in our homes to reduce the spread of this virus. These sudden changes are impacting us all because our lives have been interrupted beyond our control and I don’t know about you, but I don’t like it when things are out of my control.

I must admit that the high of the moment has worn off for me. When this started, it was all about runs to grocery stores making sure we had all we needed in the event businesses closed. Checking on family and neighbors to make sure they were ok. Praying and believing God for healing and control of this rapidly spreading virus. But this week as news pours in of more new cases and the potential of a longer quarantine, the fuzzy feelings are gone. Worry, anxiety, and frustration became an open door to all types of negative thoughts. I had a vacation getaway planned with my sisters and mom that had to be canceled. My husband and I planned to do it big to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary with a luxury getaway. That’s not happening now. With an empty calendar, I’ve been struggling to use my time wisely. I’ve been letting life just happen to me and I deal with things as they come. After a full week of disorder, chaos, and pure exhaustion going on at my house, I now see that the Hakuna Matata motto does not work in real life.

I had to decide how I was going to utilize this time of isolation. There is an abundance of information available on social media with tips, advice, and encouragement. I spent a lot of time watching, listening, and reading this information, yet I was still sitting on my couch as my kids looked to me for the next thing to do. I knew I couldn’t just sit around and wait for the government to release us from quarantine and I surely didn’t need more info. I was overloaded. Overwhelmed. I felt guilty and lazy for not baking goodies from scratch while my kids helped. I felt guilty about not working toward a hot mom summer body. I felt confused about how to create a schedule because some sources say we should just let things be and go with the flow. Some say we don’t have enough faith because the virus is still spreading. Some say we are living in fear because we choose to stay home as ordered by governmental authority. It was getting to be too much.

So, I unplugged.

More than anything I needed rest. How can I rest on quarantine at home 24/7 with two young hands-on children, a husband who now works from home, homeschooling, meals to cook, house to clean, my own school work to complete, and family and neighbors to keep in touch with? None of that sounds like rest. The rest I needed was more than early bedtimes and power naps during the day. Zoning out on shows, eating comfort food, and venting to people felt good, but when that ended, so did the peace. I needed rest for my soul. The kind of rest that brings stillness amid chaos and uncertainty. The kind of rest that reminds me it is well even though I see a lot of things that are not.

That kind of rest is only found in Jesus. During all this, I had forgotten that God is still in control. I needed to return to the biblical basics of my faith. How does the gospel apply to what I am currently going through? Jesus (God’s only son) was sent by God on mission to rescue us from the power of sin and death. We are incapable of saving ourselves because we are sinful to the core. The brokenness we experience in this world (including a global pandemic) is a direct result of the effects of sin (Romans 5:11-13). We needed a sinless Savior (Jesus) to take our place.

Here comes our hope. Out of His great love, Jesus bore the weight of our sins, and willingly gave His life in order to reconcile us back to God. He not only died but was resurrected by the power of God to defeat death’s grip. This means that death is NOT the end for us. Our current physical bodies may pass away, but we live on eternally with Christ in spirit (Romans 6:9-11). Confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts that this is true grants us adoption into God’s eternal family (Romans 10:9).

Now all of this doesn’t mean I suddenly can’t feel anymore. I mourn with those who have family members who are sick or have passed away because of the virus. Of course, I will use wisdom and take all the necessary precautions. Of course, I will continue to pray protection over our world and healing for those affected by this pandemic. But I will NOT allow fear to drive me into anxiety, doubt, and worry. I will use my natural tendency to fear what I don’t understand to drive me to my knees surrendering control to God and seeking how I can live better for Him each day.

This reassurance of true hope gives me the peace to live from a place of rest with true joy. I’m not anxious and overthinking about schedules. I’m not bitter about canceled plans. I can be ok with not being in control of everything. I can slow down in this season enough to really see my husband and children as the gifts they are. Whether I choose to have a day full of DIY projects and rigid scheduling or a day with movies, tablets, and popcorn, I can enjoy this time from a place of rest.

Though what’s happening in our world is far from delightful, I’m choosing to delight myself in the hope of eternity with Christ forever because it is well with my soul.

How has COVID-19 impacted you? In what simple way are you choosing to delight daily? Tell me about it with a comment below.