“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” The unfolding events of the past month have brought the truth of Proverbs 27:1 home to all of us. Perhaps you were like me in early March: contentedly minding my own business and going about my daily activities, eagerly making plans for my upcoming spring break, not to mention the summer and semester beyond… generally taking for granted that my life would carry on as expected and that my well-laid plans would naturally come to fruition. 

Plot twist – enter COVID-19. Suddenly everything changed… in a matter of hours! Activities were canceled and we were encouraged to self-isolate and practice social distancing for a couple of weeks. Honestly, as a task-oriented introvert, I rather welcomed the change of pace. The opportunity to tackle projects that kept getting pushed to the back burner paired with extra time to enjoy solitary walks while soaking in the spring sunshine appealed to me. My biggest worry was the additional work it would require to “catch up” when normal activities and classes resumed. 

But towards the end of the two weeks, things continued to grow more serious. First, we heard that schools would be closed for another week. Then the announcement came that schools would not re-open this semester. As time passed, it felt as though they kept moving the finish line. What began as a sprint, a short stint of virtual meetings and more relaxed schedules, began to morph into a marathon: one that promises long-lasting effects upon both our economy and our relationships. 

As many of my plans and expectations for this year have been suddenly hijacked and stripped away, I find myself thinking on the passage from James 4:13-15: 

I thought I knew what my life would be like tomorrow, but I was wrong. I was consumed with the responsibilities and activities that seemed so important last month… the ones that I’ve quickly learned to do without. I’ve been reminded in very visceral and tangible ways that my life truly is just a vapor that will vanish away. I’ve seen ministry opportunities I’ve worked toward for almost a year slip away. I’ve had events and trips I was excited about rescheduled and then postponed again, or just canceled. I’ve lost the chance to continue discipling relationships face-to-face. There is loss here – lots of it! We’re all experiencing losses at a ministry level, a school or career level, and at a personal/social level – and it’s okay to admit that and to grieve! It’s okay to be disappointed by what you’ve lost in this season. 

Yet Paul told the Thessalonians that he didn’t want them “to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Paul didn’t tell them not to grieve those who had died, just that they will grieve differently because they have hope in Christ! In the same way, we can grieve the dreams that have died due to COVID-19, knowing that we have hope in a God who redeems and who promises to work all things together for good to those who love Him. We can allow our grief to push us further into the arms of our Heavenly Father for comfort. We can perhaps see and delight in His character more because of what we’ve lost.

May we all learn through this season to hold our plans with an open hand, that it’s okay to acknowledge and to grieve all that we’ve lost and to find comfort and rest in the sovereign and eternal God who alone knows the end from the beginning. 

Post written by GFM Richmond staff member