What Do We Do?

The world has been turned upside down by COVID-19. Stock markets are swinging wildly. The economy is reeling. And the yeast that I need to bake sourdough bread is sold out until who knows when!

Many people are fearful, anxious, and worried. Others are angry and letting everyone know about it. Some people are just plain bored and have watched everything there is to watch on Netiflix, Hulu and Disney+. 

So, what do we do?

Everyone has something they are suggesting for you to do in this season. From workouts to movies to crafts to gourmet meals—there are more than enough activities to go around.

But I’m not interested in telling you how to fill your time. I think we need to do something with our time. The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are to make use of our time for we live in evil days.

So here are some things I suggest we need to do in this season:

First, become prophetically aware. This pandemic is not just about the pandemic, it is part of the larger story of a broken world that is on a crash course with destiny. God is using this moment to move history forward. We should never forget that He is drawing the arc of history to a completion point. This is a moment of shaking and there will be many more to come. Don’t get caught up in the noise and miss the message of God calling people to draw near to Him.

Second, become spiritually responsive. This is a time to get close to God. It is an invitation to create space and listen to His still quiet voice. Are you making space? Are you reaching out? This is a season when He is visiting all those who are willing to turn off the noise and tune in to Him.

Third, stay emotionally engaged. Too many are tuning out to what is going on inside of them and is what is going on in their family. When things are out of our control, we will often try to escape by numbing out. Some numb out on media, some on painkillers or drugs, and some on mindless games. Don’t go down that route. Fell the feels, talk to your kids about what they are feeling, and then encourage one another rather then leaving each other in silence.

Finally, do get ready for a marathon. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Everyone is yelling for it to be over. We need to be ready for it to take a while. Don’t put dates on things. Instead, put your expectation and hope that God is going to take us through one day at a time.

If we do these things, we will see that God is actually at work and doing some pretty good things!

Andrew Cromwell • Lead Pastor