7 Ways to Thrive in Pandemic Times
#3- Assess Your Situation
“They are not on vacation, Linda. They are checking out the West Coast and there is no guarantee that they will decide to return to the East Coast.”
Reen’s words rang through my mind – this is real. This isn’t going away or going to change. They’re gone. Will they come at Thanksgiving or Christmas? My son seemed to insist they would, even before they left for California. But who really knows? Only God knows.
And so a new chapter in my life begins. I’ve relied on God and allowed myself to grieve as the uncertainty prevailed, but the uncertainty is gone. They are not going to move someday in the future. They have moved now and possibly to California. It’s done. So now it’s time. This is clear in the Bible,
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
….a time to weep and a time to laugh,
The season and time to weep and grieve is over. I love them more deeply than words and will always be there for them. At the same time, I can’t be consumed any longer with their decision. It is time to move on with my life.
So what are the next steps? Here are steps 3 and 4:
#3. Assess Your Situation– You are depending on God, allowing yourself to grieve, and now wonder what to do next. Assess your situation. What changes cannot not be reversed and what remains as a result? List the pros and cons of your situation to see it more clearly. In tough times your vision can blur so seek God for clarity. Jesus Christ promises He is “the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6) all of which you need right now. What are the truths about your life in this moment? What aspects of your situation are completely outside your control and which are not? It’s these aspects that you need to consider and on which to focus. Trust Jesus Christ to lead the way and know He has a wonderful and fulfilling life ahead. Reach out and grab hold of it. Don’t look back.
As we all accept the new “COVID normal” and adjust to embrace a new life, won’t you join me, in knowing what God promised through Jeremiah, “ ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.’ ”(Jeremiah 29:11-14)
Let’s seek God and embrace the future direction He reveals to us, leaving the past behind and moving forward with Him.
