While eating dinner last evening my phone binged telling me I had another urgent news story to read. This headline reminded me that all the current social distancing guidelines that are now in place will be extended until April 30. Another reminder that none of this is going away anytime soon.

My heart and head have become over saturated by the overwhelming news of this crisis where I just can hardly watch the news for the time being. The overload of bad news can become too much for us. Just remember that is a normal response to all this tragedy and chaos. We are human after all.

As we continue to adjust to working remotely, home schooling our children, scouring the stores for essentials like toilet paper and eggs, we have to remind each other that we will get through this.

My father, who is 92, reminded me on our phone conversation last evening how as a child he experienced rationing that was part of life. Making thru the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean Conflict and the rest, my dad has seen it all. “Everything was rationed. Meat. Eggs. Gas. Everything. We made it. And we will make it out of this,” he reminded me.

The scriptures remind us often about perseverance. This is defined as “persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” We need a spirit of pushing forward in spite of our circumstances which are truly out of our control.  

We don’t need wishful thinking or other means to escape. We need each other. We must learn to rely on God’s provision in our lives perhaps now more than ever. But we must never stop giving up on hope. The day of victory truly is coming when this pandemic will end, the world economies will slowly churn back into operation and this invisible virus will have a cure. 

In the meantime, stick to it. Work at a routine in your day. Do the same for your children. Do get out and enjoy the fresh, spring air. Talk a walk or sit to soak up some sunshine when it peeks out. Listen to the birds. Smell the flowers and enjoy a shower of tree blossoms as they fall to the ground.

A Moment in the Word

The Apostle Paul reminds us:

“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying.”

Romans 12:12 NLT

A Moment of Prayer

“Heavenly Father, even though none of this makes sense, help me to keep leaning into the fact that You are with me. You are my hope and strength. Give me the will and determination to keep trusting you and plowing through the course of my day. Amen.”