By: Pastor Brandon Freeman
God intends for every situation of life—including the unique circumstances of COVID-19—to grow us in Christlikeness. Here are 10 ways to redeem the time amidst COVID-19.
Immerse yourself in Scripture. Read through a book of the Bible. Enrich your understanding of a passage or book by adding a commentary or study Bible to your reading. Use this time to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col 3:16). As we read Scripture, we find God to be the sovereign Lord of the universe who is worthy of our complete trust and whose mercy sustains us each day.
Pray. As was published in our LBC COVID-19 Update, we can pray that God, “in His mercy, would stop this pandemic and save lives, not only in our communities but around the world, particularly in places that are unequipped medically to deal with the virus.” Pray that God would give wisdom and success to government and medical personnel. In addition, pray that God would draw people to saving faith around the world. Ask God that local churches would be strengthened and multiplied as a result of COVID-19. Pray that you and your family would flourish amidst the unknown. Pray for those who are struggling financially, and pray that giving to local church ministry and mission would continue.
Commit yourself to God. Viruses, tsunamis, tornadoes, and the like should remind us of the effects of sin and should lead us to renounce sin. Flee pornography. Renounce sloth. Fight anxiety. Kill your idols. Ask for God to increase your affection for him. Evaluate what areas of your life can be more in line with Scripture.
Invest in family. Gavin Ortlund says it well: “Parents, we can invest in our kids in special ways these days. New traditions, games, reading habits, etc. Who knows what impact that might have? Could make a lifelong difference.” What activity would your family enjoy together? Pursue intentional time together, rather than just existing in the same location for this extended length of time.
Read or listen to good content. Select books that will have the greatest impact on you spiritually. Of course, much material is available for free online through ministries such at Desiring God and The Gospel Coalition. What topic would be helpful for you to research? Reading on the goodness of God would surely benefit you as you interact with those whose doctrine of God might be in question during our current circumstances.
Catch up on communication. Again, Gavin Ortlund provides useful encouragement: he explains that we can use this time for “more intentional emails, phone calls, skypes, etc. to keep up with friends, particularly those who live far away. Most of us have tons of activities cancelled, and little social interaction, so this can be a strategic way to respond to both of those facts.” Is there a church member, family member, or friend you can catch up with this week?
Think. We receive more information each day than any other people in human history. Take this time to step away and think about an issue. Think about God. Think about your life. Think about the world to come.
Rest. Above all, rest in the person and work of Christ whose accomplishment on our behalf secured our eternal redemption. Praise God that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Secondarily, rest by watching a clean movie, going on a walk, resting on the couch, taking a nap, etc. Pursue activities that bolster your spiritual well-being. You might find that your physical weariness is taking a toll on your spiritual condition and vice versa.
Serve others where you can. Is there a church member you live near you can message to see if they need anything from the store or a church member who lives a distance away that you can check on? Maybe you can help research supplemental income opportunities for your neighbor whose job is uncertain. In ways that exercise caution, let’s reorient our attention to the needs of others.
Long for heaven. There is coming a day when heaven will come to earth and disease will be no more. Soon, our Savior will come back for us and give us resurrection bodies like His own. Until then, we ask that His kingdom would come and His will would be done (Matt 6). Expectant waiting is the posture of the Christian.
May our reengagement with these godly habits during COVID-19 stretch far beyond the extent of the virus!