Just like many of you, life in the pandemic have been pretty crazy. Not only has COVID-19 flipped my world upside down, but the everyday stresses of motherhood, virtual learning, working from home, and the increased exposure of racism, lynchings, and protests had me on edge. If my hair wasn’t growing and thriving so well, I probably would have shaved my head. But I realized that in the midst of it all, I put my time with God on the back burner. So, my question to you is where have you left God in all of this chaos?
I understand that the current state we’re in may not change anytime soon, but I do have the power to make necessary changes in my life to be able to navigate through it all. I decided to take some time away and do some self-work. I also made sure to find my footing again with God so that I could process it all. I needed to allow Him to pour back into me because I was feeling super empty.
We’ve been stripped away of much of what we thought was the norm and now we have to figure out what life is supposed to look like in our world. We have to relearn what we like to do (while social distancing), what brings us joy, who we have in our corner, and who we really are in this moment.
The funny thing is, we thought that we were “good” until the pandemic came about, but it’s revealed a lot of our insecurities, confusion, mess, and broken pieces. You know, all of the things we’ve tried to hide under Instagram filters, fake smiles, and the presence of others around us. When we don’t have external and artificial things (or people) to help cover us up and shine us off, our eyes are open to how much inner work we still have left to do within ourselves.
Where do we go from here?
I believe this time is necessary to take a step back and allow God to pour into us. This is an opportunity to see God for who He is and who He has always been, but when our lives were flipped upside down, we may have misplaced Him in the process.
In the midst of all that’s going on, I’m sure many are asking where God is in all of this? On God’s end, He’s ALWAYS been with us, but from our end, He’s exactly where we left Him. Depending on your walk, God’s current position in your life may vary.
Maybe He’s been walking right beside you as you’ve been super committed and consistent with diving deep into your word, fasting, and praying for change…Or maybe you left God at the altar of the church you’re no longer allowed to worship in due to COVID. Maybe you left your faith behind the day you were laid off from your job. Maybe your prayers were left with your praying grandmother you’ve been socially distanced from. Maybe you’re just in a space where you have more questions than answers now and don’t know where to turn.
Wherever you think you’ve “left” God, He’s been waiting for you patiently (Insert “He Waited” by Travis Greene). His grace is extended to us even in our mess and times of uncertainty, anxiousness, and stress. Do you remember where you left God? I believe that this is the perfect time to find Him again because He’s got a lot to say and He’s also not something we can put down and pick up whenever we want.
Being distanced and isolated doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It’s our opportunity to silence the static and focus on the inner work that is required to be exactly who God created you to be. Not a cookie-cutter version of what the world makes you think you should be and not a watered-down version of yourself.
So during this time, I urge you to backtrack your steps until you meet back with God.
