Make Coronavirus a Positive Transformational Experience

Make Coronavirus a Positive Transformational Experience 1

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.”

Genesis 1:1-4

Right from the start God brought order out of chaos. Creation is often the first thing we learn about God. A few years ago someone pointed out to me that God’s creative process was the act of speaking order out of the chaos. In His good, perfect manner of doing so, His creation was declared good. 
Our world has abruptly descended into chaos. In a matter of a few short weeks all of our lives have changed drastically.

We are at an inflection point. The world is going through a transformational experience. Our actions right now will shape and define what our future will look like on the other side of this transformation. In a short time, many of our habits have changed. If we are not careful, bad habits will creep in. I want to encourage you that now is the time to be intentional in following God’s model of creation. It’s a time that in our individual lives we can act with integrity to bring order out of the chaos that we’re in. We all have the same amount of time, but it has shifted around. For me, the time I would usually be doing do chores I’m homeschooling instead. The time I would usually be working I’m doing chores. Our evening activities are cancelled but we’re maintaining connections through virtual socializing. Right now, as things are in flux, it’s the opportune time to look at our lives and allocate our time in a positive way.

As Christians: We can be light and hope to a world that’s in the dark. Even though many of us are isolated, we can still “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) What reach could you have right now if you were being joyful instead of worrying, praying instead of looking at Facebook, giving thanks instead of complaining? How can you be generous when our instinct says to hoard? Who do you know that is suffering that you could call and offer hope to? When you are outside, how can you take some time to get to know your neighbors?

As spouses: Sit down with your spouse and have a discussion. How do we want to move on from here? Our time has shifted, so how are we going to best use it? When are we going to wake up in the morning? When is the best time for us to have sex? A date night? How can we be creative to have a date night when we can’t go anywhere? You still need to connect with your spouse physically, emotionally and spiritually. What good habits do we want to bring into our marriage right now? What bad habits have we started that we need to correct? If sex isn’t on your calendar regularly, now is a great time to make it a high priority. Make sure your spouse is sexually satisfied. Talk about your fears with each other — naming them will give you power over them. Keep a healthy diet, or if you don’t have a healthy diet, now is a good time to start one. Encourage each other. Thank each other. Play with each other.

As parents: Are you acting in a way that you will be proud of when you look back on this time? Are you acting in a way that you want your kids to imitate? How do you respond when your child walks into a room and needs something? Does your face light up to see them or do you look annoyed? Kids feel safe and secure when there is structure and a schedule. How can we establish a new schedule that allows them to thrive?

These are the questions El Fury and I are thinking about as we take tentative steps through the chaos. Thankfully El Fury is busy with work right now. He is serving our family in that capacity. Also thankfully, my work has slowed a lot, which has allowed me to adjust to the new rhythm of homeschooling. I want to serve my family by tending to their needs, encouraging them, praying together, and making good meals.

Transformational experiences are good opportunities to shape how you want to be in the future. Do this by using the timeless model that God lays out in His creation story. Trust in Him to guide you in bringing your chaos into order.

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2 comments

  1. Good article. Thanks.
    But does the first sentence need correction? “Right from the start God brought chaos out of order.”

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