Being in Florida during this pandemic is causing a lot of guilt as I observe the suffering of the world on TV. It’s not that Florida hasn’t been affected by the virus, just not with the severity as other areas – yet. Plus, we get the benefit of being able to get outside every day to enjoy the beauty of nature and the warmth of the sun while so many are confined to their homes. We do this while maintaining social distancing of course, which is easier to do without the density of a major city like NY.
My routine is to go for a long walk every morning. I listen to a sermon followed by my playlist of Christian music to remind me Who is in control, and lucky for everyone – it’s NOT me! The consistency of Christ’s message is the only constant to hold onto in this world – pandemic or not. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). As the refrain of one of my theme songs heralds, On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all else is sinking sand. Amen to that. We’ve all been confronted with the shifting/sinking sands of life when the things we thought offered security; namely, our finances, our material possessions, our jobs, our medical system, our stockpile of toilet paper, even our military might, are deemed inadequate against an attack of this kind.
Nevertheless, during my morning walk, the vibrant flowers, frolicking dolphins, and distant waves to fellow strollers remind me that even in the midst of adversity, there is still beauty to be found and blessings to be enjoyed. I refuse to let fear and anxiety rob today of those simple pleasures. The internet is flooded with videos of people sharing their own gifts of beauty and hope to buoy others – musicians, comedians, actors, children, pets, ministers, etc.
The highlight of my walk is the Easter manatee I pass each day. The bunny ears offer little comfort, but the basket of eggs he’s holding is a reminder of our victory in Christ. In addition, the manner in which the baby manatee is clinging to his parent illustrates how we too can cling to our Divine Father at this time for sustenance, hope and healing.
When my children were small, our Easter eggs were called resurrection eggs. Each egg held a Bible story about Easter, which is why I find that basket of eggs so hopeful. Eggs are a sign of rebirth, which WILL occur on the other side of this pandemic. In fact, we ARE already experiencing it in the middle of this crisis.
It may seem like a Pyrrhic victory, but in the midst of our corporate suffering we’re witnessing the rebirth of connection. Such a God-thing. We’re in isolation but more connected than ever. It’s a revival of community, compassion, kindness, gratitude and above all, love. The destructive wave of this virus can’t overcome the tsunami of love and grace it has unleashed. I pray that flood of communal caring doesn’t recede after the initial threat has dissipated.
Life itself is an ongoing series of deaths and resurrections. Even though it’s painful, don’t be afraid of the process. So much fear and angst are caused by our attempts to outrun our own pain. Healing can only begin when you decide to stop, identify it, confront it, sit with it, surrender and listen to what it has to communicate. When you choose to be teachable in your suffering, each rebirth produces an improved version of yourself. You can choose to let your pain and fear crush you or carry you to victory. The process is ongoing and only ends with our final rebirth into eternity.
It’s become obvious that life as we knew it is a house of cards (or paper products), unable to withstand the pressure this type of crisis creates. Hoarding toilet paper may give you a false sense of security, but putting your faith on a stockpile of “paper goods” will lead to crushing defeat when your supply is depleted. On the other hand, choosing to stockpile faith in the One who has the power to see you through this crisis is always the wise decision. Moreover, the beauty of being in this together is that even if you don’t have faith or find yours waning, you can always choose to lean on the faith of others, or better yet, bring your fear and doubt to the One who has an endless supply and is eager to share.
Finally, we can choose to continue to try and control our circumstances or we can choose to trust the only One capable of helping us face them with a courage we don’t necessarily feel. Choose wisely!
