Covid 19 could change things for the better. Although it doesn’t look or feel that that way today. We’re still in the suffering part.
My friend has a beautiful way of putting it: Its not so much what Covid is doing to us, but what it is revealing to us. It has exposed the brokenness. Brokenness that was already there, it didn’t create it. We just can’t deny it or distract ourselves from it any longer.
But there is hope. With the right attitude and fortitude we can change our behavior, work through this and come out stronger on the other side. We can’t fix a problem unless we know what it is. Out of the ashes can come a transformation and resurrection. With the right attitude and fortitude.
Phillipians 4:11-13 tells us ‘I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is like to be in need. And I know what its like to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every circumstance whether well fed or hungry. Whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength.’
Yes a positive attitude is desirable, but how do we ‘be content’ with flames licking at our heels? Simple positive thinking is not enough. Sheer might, will and intelligence do not work. We’ve been trying that.
What about hobbies? They might provide us with some clues and point us in the right direction of building positive thoughts and feelings. Occupying our hands and minds in constructive ways is critical and will surly move us in the right direction.
There are so many creative ways people are coming up with amazing ways to spend their time and it is very inspiring. I watched a few You Tubes recently. One where a couple was building miniature sets in their backyard to attract and photograph squirrels who go grocery shopping and such. Another one where someone cleared out their bathroom cabinet to place it in a socially distant fashion down the hallway to watch their cat maneuver through it. Highly entertaining alright, and great to post to see how many hits you get. But is that a real hobby? Something we can build on we love and will build lasting contentment?
When I went to art school, I learned that to get good at something requires 10,000 hours. Whatever it was. A career, a hobby, a passion of some kind. And by 10,000 hours you were starting to get the hang of it and lean toward experienced. Doctors, lawyers and professionals. But there are also the Sunday painters and back yard mechanics.
I know for myself, the more I practiced drawing and painting, the better I got. I had to heavily rely on the ‘I can do all things in Him who strengthens me’ part because I can too easily get discouraged and give up. But its His strength behind me, not my own, that keeps me pushing on. And when I keep that in the forefront I get better then feet better about myself, which has nothing to do with circumstances. I look at the joy on the face of our piano player at church who is putting music online for church services – a song a week we all know. Hobbies are something we can fall back on to keep ourselves buoyant during these turbulent times.
I read a Post Pandemic article in the Globe and Mail of what our world most likely will look like for the next several years. Gone will be the days of gatherings for sports, travel, theatre, and shopping malls. The face of everything will change and our experience of it along side it..
So while we are adapting to our new world why not start transforming it by transforming ourselves. Wisely filling our minds and hands, not just entertain our friends on You Tube. We are all born with individual traits and gifts. Now might be the time to start punching a clock towards our 10,000 hours of something we’re designed to do.
We are in this for the long haul so we might as well work at being content with it, starting with being content with ourselves.
Besides who knows how He will use it in building Heaven on Earth, and for the resurrection part.