6 “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1Peter 1:6-7
Social distancing, schools being canceled for months, extra curricular activities postponed until further notice, restaurants, salons, harbor shops, anything "non-essential" being forced to close, death tolls and the number of positive patients with the virus rising, and a threat of mandatory curfew lingering for many US cities. Suddenly, our schedules are quieted, the busyness swept away, we’ve been asked to stay home and wait out the storm.
This is unchartered territory for those of us who have been slaves to an overwhelmed schedule. How will we choose to spend our time? Will we fall victim to the fear that is almost palpable in every media outlet we turn to? Or will we choose to find the peace and joy in our circumstances?
In 1 Peter 1:6 Peter challenges us to find joy in our trials. He tells us that we will face many in our lifetime and along with those trials there will be grief and suffering. How do we find joy in the conditions we’ve been given? How do we find joy in isolation?
We can choose to see our circumstances as a trial or we can see it as a blessing. Perhaps God is giving us this opportunity to reconnect, enjoy the simple things, and focus on the priorities that He wants to see front and center in our everyday lives. This freedom in our schedule opens up the opportunity to be super intentional about how we spend our days. For the moms who are able to stay home with her children during the weeks to come, maybe you schedule out your days in advance. You can bring back the basics that you learned to know and love as a child, pre-tablet, phone, and social media. Dust off the puzzles, books, and family recipes, roll up your sleeves and reconnect with your children. Have a quiet time together as a family. Easter is around the corner, dig out the children’s bible and delve in. Choose a story a day and choose a child to read that story, discuss it, and pray together. Make a prayer list. Who or what can you pray for in the weeks to come? Write them down and revisit them daily so that you can see God’s activity in and through this crisis.
Peter goes on to say in verse 7, “These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith.” Many people will be watching. They want to see how a professing Christian will handle the anxiety and fear of the unknown. What happens when we show others that our trust and faith belongs to an all knowing, all loving, sovereign God? We have an opportunity to show others that church isn't about a building but a group of people who place their faith and hope in the unseen, the God of all creation. God has given us an open invitation to let go and lean in. To give our worries to Him. When we do, we give Him glory and His time to shine in and through us.
At the end of verse 7, Peter states that when we cast our fears and anxieties on Him they “may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Friend, we have an opportunity to glorify Jesus in all of this. Whether we realize it or not, believers and non believers alike are looking for refuge in their worry. Will you take these circumstances as an opportunity to show them where they can place those fears? Will you show them that our God is Lord of your life? That you refuse to fall victim to fear? That worry has no place in the heart of a girl who loves the Lord with all their heart, mind, and soul?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Lord, thank you for choosing me for such a time as this. Thank you for your love, patience, kindness, and provisions. Thank you for shelter, food, health, and my precious family. I pray, Lord that you give me a spirit of power, strength, and endurance in the days to come. That you wash away any temptations to fall into a valley of fear. Give me the strength to refocus and realign my thoughts. Challenge me to find joy in the days and weeks to come. Thank you for the stillness of my schedule. May I fill them with meaningful connections with my family, inviting You into the center of each and every precious moment. Break my heart for what breaks Your's, Lord. Show me opportunities to be Your hands and feet. I know and trust that you are a God of provision. You’ve provided, comforted, restored areas in my life in the past and Lord I trust you will continue to do so in my future.
In Jesus’s name I pray,
Amen
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