Making the Most of Challenging Times
by Ed Sweeny
I have talked to many men over the last few days with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of us are wrestling with the common questions about what to do, where to go, what to cancel, and how to manage work and business. All of us are watching the crisis unfold daily on the news, online, and in our own communities. All of us are learning to be vigilant and careful in this new season of life amid a global pandemic. All of us are striving to have a balanced approach to this new normal, living wisely out of calm faith and not out of fear.
My heart aches deeply for those who have lost jobs, or who have had to suspend business and lay off employees in the last 2 weeks. For these brothers, this crisis is a painful double-edged sword.
But in these recent conversations, one thing has risen to the top for me, and I want to encourage each of you in this today. Many men are seeing the opportunities that this tragic and dangerous virus is creating all around us. In a real and powerful way, the world has been given an unexpected gift in the midst of this recent global health crisis. It is the gift of having our weaknesses and idols exposed.
COVID-19 has dramatically interrupted the regular flow of life, effectively removing many of the primary distractions that fill our time these days. No more school, no more sports, fewer hours away from home, and virtually no places to go and congregate with others. Plenty of other distractions remain (TV, phones, video games, etc), but we all have been driven back into our homes and neighborhoods for a season. This is the gift this season has brought us. With everyone home and little to do, men have an unprecedented opportunity to engage their families. Husbands can spend more time getting to know their wives. Fathers can spend more time hanging out with their sons and daughters. We spend our lives so distracted by normalcy (work, school, sports, etc), that we have created idols out of those things. And we are so busy with scheduled events that we are unable to see it.
Using the BIG ROCKS CHALLENGE categories, I want to offer a few practical ideas of ways to redeem this time we now have on our hands. I also want to invite you to join the conversation and reply with your own practical ideas as well.
PRACTICAL WAYS TO REDEEM THE GIFT OF TIME AT HOME:
SPIRITUAL HEALTH - Extend personal time with the Lord. We have an unprecedented amount of time to sit quietly without distraction, and to engage God through prayer and reading His word. Commit to reading a chapter of scripture every day and journaling about what you discover. Pray for your family members individually. Pray specifically and by name for the people you would normally be meeting with right now (friends, co-workers, clients, etc). Pray for your pastor, your neighbors, and your government leaders.
PHYSICAL HEALTH - Take walks. Every day. It’s a blessing that our social distancing coincides with the arrival of spring. The weather is getting nice again, and nothing cures stir-crazy claustrophobia like God’s creation. I have had more conversations with my neighbors in the last week than I have in the past year. Bloom where God has planted you during this time.
MARRIAGE - Do things together. You have to make a choice to do this. Our lives are normally spent apart, with different tasks and responsibilities. So what do we do with all this new time together? Cook dinner TOGETHER. Clean the kitchen at night TOGETHER. Do yard work TOGETHER. Take a walk TOGETHER. Set aside at least 30 minutes every day to remove distractions, put off tasks, turn off screens and focus on each other. Make the choice to get to know your spouse in a new way during this season.
PARENTING - Plan a family game night (or afternoon). Go to the closet and pull out your board games and a few decks of cards for an amazing way to have fun and really engage one another. This is not only a great way to pass the time, but a wonderful way to build relationships with the most important people in your life. PRO TIP: Don’t be afraid of “old faithfuls” like Monopoly, Risk, Operation, and Chutes and Ladders. Some things are truly timeless.
COMMUNITY - Bring back the “phone call.” We all feel the cultural shift of communicating via emails, texts, posts, and social media. Use that “Phone” app on your device and dial up a family member, relative, friend or neighbor that you haven’t connected with in a while and have a real-life conversation. Some of our study groups who can’t meet face to face are using video conferencing tools to continue meeting and encouraging each other through these times. Maybe that would work for an impromptu family reunion.
STEWARDSHIP - Give and share freely, save and spend wisely. With toilet paper shortages, business closings, layoffs, and other consequences from the pandemic, we all need to reassess our mindset on spending, saving and generosity. There is no real joy in hoarding and having it all for yourself. Look for ways to be a conduit where blessing flows from God through us to others in need. What does your family have that others might need right now? Double a recipe and take it to a neighbor. Ask God to show you people and families who are in need and be ready to respond.
Whatever you do, we encourage you to move and take positive steps. In light of the "virtual world" we are now living in, 3GEN will be leveraging a few social media platforms to communicate and create some healthy, hopeful, encouraging conversations about ways to take advantage of this season, focus on the essential “Big Rocks”, and grow in faith. We hope you will connect with us as we move through these times together. Follow us using the social links below.