Lessons from COVID - 19

Scripture: Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

When a parent takes you behind the shed, that parent expects you to learn a lesson. When a parent punishes you; that parent expects you to learn a lesson. Our Father, in heaven, expects the same thing. In March 2020, the Lord, our Daddy, put everyone on time out, He sat everyone down. There was indeed a lesson to be learned. Even if you thought, for a moment, but I didn’t do anything wrong (like most children do) there was a lesson to be learned. Each child of God should have learned or should be learning something from this current punishment. However, if you haven’t learned anything you may not have been listening. Moreover, if you are one of the perfect children who believe you didn’t do anything to deserve punishment, your first lesson is Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Nonetheless, each child will have lessons specific to him or her. What is the Lord saying to you during this time? What, if anything did you learn?

My Lessons during the Pandemic

For me the world’s shutdown was a slowdown. As everything slowed down, I realized how much I needed rest. Prior to COVID-19, my life was extremely busy seven days a week. And although, I had prayed about God assisting me with time management, His answer was a very simple remember the Sabbath and keep it holy (Exodus 20:8-10). I never heeded His advice. Consequently, the pandemic caused me to appreciate that advice especially since churches had to close. There I was on Sunday stuck with nothing to do except to remember the Sabbath.

My next lesson came in the form of exercise. Now that I did not have to go into the office every day, I had the opportunity to take morning walks. Prior to COVID-19, I talked about walking and setting aside a time to talk to the Lord, but I never followed through. As a result of the slowdown, I finally set aside a time to walk and talk to God; not my usual morning thanks Lord for waking me up, but a real conversation with the Lord where I also listened. It was during this time that I noticed the beauty of the earth, that I noticed that nature needed a break from the hustle and bustle of life also, and that I needed a break from the hustle and bustle as well. It was during this time (while noticing nature) that I felt closest to the Lord. (Psalm 8:3-5)

The last lesson I learned come in the form of prayer. Prior to COVID-19, I knew my prayer life needed work. I knew it was lacking, but I had not slowed down to actually hear from God. I had spoken to the Lord about my prayer life and my unanswered prayers. I told the Lord that I wanted affirmations, but for months none came to me. However, after I slowed down and made time to converse with the Lord, I could actually hear what the Lord was saying to me. Because of the slowdown, caused by COVID-19, I began spending quality time with the Lord and He provided me with my daily affirmations. (Philippians 4:6-7 and Jeremiah 33:3).

Ultimately, God reminded me of the following and these became my daily affirmations:
1. That God did not give me a spirit of fear but of power, of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)
2.  That I was free and that because of that freedom I should no longer get caught up in past sin (Gal 5:1)
3.  That I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10)
4.  That the Lord is my Shepard, my Protector, my Provider, my Healer & Comforter (Psalm 23)
5.  That a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver (Proverbs 25:11)

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your discipline, Your lessons, and Your wisdom. Thanks for slowing me down so I could hear from You, appreciate You, and grow. Your lessons repeat until they are learned, and I thank You for Your patience with me. Your goodness and mercy are unmatched, and Your Word is everlasting. Thank You, Lord, for Your guidance without it I would be lost. But more than anything, Lord, thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for my sins and who is the ultimate example of how I should live. I thank You, Lord, for the awesome gift that is Jesus. In His matchless name I pray, Amen.

(by Patricia Towns)