When This is Over
By: Meghan Newkirk
Over these last few weeks, I’ve made a lot of “When this is over, we should-” statements. I’ve declared future adventures I’ll have with my family, texted ideas for creative hangouts with people I’ve wanted to get to know better, and brainstormed ways to help those in need. It’s comforting and therapeutic to dream big during this time of isolation and change. Though it is likely that our lives won’t look as they used to for a while, it’s fun to imagine new ways to love others after the lockdown lifestyle passes. Still, when I stop to think about post-COVID life, I wonder if I am more excited or scared about these future opportunities.
Over the last two and a half months of staying at home, my house has become my safe place and refuge. Am I getting too comfortable in my current isolation at home? The “When this is over, we should-” statements are exciting but also daunting because I might fail at following through. While these ideas sound good in the safety of my home, when the time comes to meet that new acquaintance for coffee time it might again feel easier to opt-out.
Also, I’m not going to lie; I have felt mightily suffocated by my beautiful house and family. It’s embarrassing to admit that, amidst all the blessings in my life, that I could feel overwhelmed, even a little bit. I am comforted by the knowledge that, similar to God’s plan for Ruth, he is making all these circumstances bloom in his time with His eternal purposes in charge.
As we approach the unpredictable phases of getting back into a new normal, I’m praying that God will keep me faithful to the hopes and plans I’ve made in lockdown. And as a church, as we look to the future reality of meeting together again, let’s pray for God’s guiding hand to move us toward one another in grace-filled ways. Let’s pray that God will use our time living in isolation and uncertainty as ingredients for a compassionate church body that is ready to reenter into the world with faith and hope in Jesus alone.
The truth is, we are physically isolated from one another right now, but we are and never will be isolated from Jesus. He sits with us in the hard stuff and his presence makes being excited about the future possible. Instead of being intimidated by the new opportunities we’ll face “when this is over,” let’s trust that God is the creator of these ideas, so he will make them all happen exactly the way he wants them to.
Every member of our church body is a crucial part of the song we get to sing to the world. Let’s take all those “when this is over” hopes and dreams and put them together like a song. It is thrilling to be an instrument for our Redeemer; let’s play some music!