As I sit here at my desk on day 13 of our quarantine, listening to the rain hitting the roof and the birds singing outside my window, I have an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness. Now, don’t get me wrong, these past two weeks have been challenging – to say the least. Endless streams of media constantly bombarding me with all the latest “news”, and the emails that have been pouring in from every business to whom I have ever given my email address. And, there have been a few days where I have given in to that need for more information, and the latest counts – just hoping to get one nugget of something that I can use to help me wrap my brain around everything that’s happening in our world.

At the end of those days, after I have watched all the “experts” dole out their interpretations (and the hours pass on the clock), getting nothing accomplished, really doing nothing – I feel exhausted!

My mind has been working overtime trying to process the constant influx of information that seemingly changes every hour or even minute. It is truly exhausting!

Turn it off…

But, the wonderful thing is – I can turn it all off! I’m not talking about becoming an ostrich and sticking my head in the sand. I realize there is information that is important, and I need to stay informed. But, there is such a thing as too much – especially when there is really nothing I can do about any of it! And, I need to give myself permission to take that break.

We may never know everything there is to know about COVID-19. Not even the experts. Not even the doctors. And we all need to be ok with that. Truly the only one who knows all the facts is God.

He’s not new to this whole world pandemic thing. This isn’t His first rodeo. He’s been there through it all. From the Fall at the Garden of Eden, the flood, the plagues, the Exile of the Israelites – and that was all in just the first two books of the Bible! Throughout these, and so many other difficult times the people of this world have experienced, God was there.

Grateful for today

So, today, I am grateful. Grateful for the virtual church service we will have in a couple of hours. Grateful for technology to be able to gather as a church and with my family when we can’t physically get together. Grateful that we have eaten family dinners Every. Single. Night. for the past 13 days. How many times had I felt so overwhelmed by our crazy busy schedule and had just wished for one night a week that we could all be together at the same time?

Yes. Today I am grateful. We have been given the gift of time. Time to rest and be with our families. Time to reconnect with them and have some great talks that would otherwise never have happened. Time for extended Bible studies, learning more about the character of God and building my relationship with Him.

But, mostly, I am grateful just for God Himself. His omniscience and faithfulness. He is there. He will fill me up when other things can’t. I don’t need to know all the answers. And, I don’t need to fear. He’s got this, and for that, I’m grateful.