This last year has been a whirlwind.
Last summer, my wife went through a difficult pregnancy that resulted in months of bed rest. With my wife bound to one floor of the house, we had to adjust, and we entered into abnormal daily rhythms. Then the baby came, and we became parents. As anyone who has had a child before knows, this is a considerable change to life that will shift any sense normalcy you knew before. As the months went by, we started to get our feet under us, and we began to find some new daily rhythms in life. We felt more confident as parents and discovered new joys watching our little girl grow.
Now the coronavirus has hit, and our world is flipped on its head once again. To some degree, I believe we have all felt this impact our lives and change how we live day-to-day. Many of us are trying to work remotely and are taking care of our children. Each of these things is a full-time job, and it can feel impossible to do both. I know my wife and I have felt this way, and it took us several weeks to get a handle on things.
When things feel unclear or uncertain, it is easy for me to feel the need to act and “fix” things. For my family and I am sure for many of you, this pandemic has stalled plans for my family’s future and my work. This sense of feeling unclear or when I feel like I am in darkness, it can lead me to make decisions prematurely. However, I believe the Lord is asking me to sit and wait on Him.
Recently as I was watching a sermon from the pastor of Trinity Anglican Church, Kris McDaniel, I have been reminded of a story of the Jews during the Exodus. Kris made the point that often, we don’t want to look at the things that bite or hurt us. In Numbers 21:4-9, the Jews were growing tired and frustrated at the length of their journey. At this time, they began to speak out against God and Moses. The Lord sent venomous snakes to bite them, and the Lord told Moses to intercede by placing a bronze snake mounted on a pole. Whoever looked upon the snake lived. The Lord is calling us to face our fears, just like the Jews faced the very things that were biting them. In seasons like this, we all have things that creep up in our lives and can be harmful. For me, its usually the need to act or “fix” what I can so I can have a sense of stability. If we can name these things and give them over to the Lord, He will meet us there.
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Something I have also picked up from Kris is a visual reminder to wait on the Lord using a mason jar, water, and some dirt. Whenever you feel uncertain or find yourself in a season where life is unclear, you can shake the jar. Just like life, the jar quickly goes from clear to murky. However, the longer I let it sit, the more clear it becomes. May we all be willing to sit still, face our fears, trust that the Lord is with us, and wait on Him.
When we feel in the dark and unsure of the future, the Lord is there with us giving us a way to face the darkness and find the light.
Psalm 139:12, “Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”