Years ago Beth and I were challenged and blessed by a blog about not “wasting” cancer. This spurred me to identify seven ways for us not to waste “this” current season.
1) We will waste “this” if we think more about “making it through it” rather than “redeeming it.”
A “make it through it” mindset is about survival and hanging on. A “redeem it” mentality mindset is about investing the time you have with purpose and for things with eternal value. Besides God, two things last forever: people and His Word. Time is always redeemed when we spend it loving our family well, loving our neighbor and digesting His Word.
“We will waste this if we think more about making it through it rather than redeeming it.” Follow this link to read the full article from @rockbridgecc.
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2) We will waste “this” if we think our greatest enemy is a virus and not sin.
We often think our biggest challenge is whatever threatens our version of the American Dream or our pursuit of (immediate, earthly) happiness. However, our greatest enemy is the pandemic of sin and the death it brings. Both have been defeated in Christ (I Corinthians 15:55-57). He also promises us eternal happiness at His right hand (Psalm 16:11).
3) We will waste “this” if we spend more time focusing on conspiracy theories and controversies rather than focusing on Christ.
Conspiracy theories and controversies are sporadically fascinating, speculative, and involve varying degrees of uncertainty. Christ is eternally fascinating, steadfast in love, and never changes (Hebrews 13:8).
4) We will waste “this” if we grow in frustration and bitterness rather than more like Christ.
We need to admit our frustrations and confess how easily they become sins in thought, attitude, and word. However, God uses “all things” (which includes “this” coronavirus thing) to do one thing: make us more Christ-like (Romans 8:28-29). Look at Colossians 3:12 and see how God might be using “this” to grow us in “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
5) We will waste “this” if we restrict our understanding of church to a particular time and place rather than a particular people who have been placed by God for such a time as this!
Most Christians miss meeting physically and we should; however, most Christians miss the meaning of church too! Church has not stopped or been put on hold. As long as we have the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the people of God, we ARE the church, and the world around us needs our hope (I Peter 3:15).
6) We will waste “this” if we let our “what-ifs” carry more weight than the fact that God is.
We can “what-if” ourselves into fear and worry. We can also rest in the reality that God IS all-loving, all-powerful, ever watchful, and ever-present with us … even in adversity. The reality that “God is” transforms our “what-if” worries into worship.
7) We will waste “this” if we hope more for a return to normal rather than the return of Christ.
We are called to be a people whose hope is higher and forever. A better day is coming but any better day in this present life is subject to frustration the following day. Only when Christ returns will every day be a better day than the one before it.