Thoughts on This Covid Christmas

How are you feeling about this Covid Christmas?

It’s such a strange time, and there’s a lot of sadness, I know… especially at the moment. In the midst of the Covid Christmas sadness, I just wanted to share 4 brief encouragements that have been blessing me.

How do I feel about Christmas this year?

The strangest Christmas I’ve known. And I find myself wondering: how do I handle Christmas this year? Maybe you’re wondering that too. And today we just found out that Christmas is going to be even less possible than we thought… and I know many hearts are breaking about that news.

It looks like it might well be Christmas without my family. Christmas without our traditions. Christmas missing people I love. Christmas with sadness this year.

So how can I encourage myself about Christmas this year?

Here are some short thoughts I hope will encourage you.

1. Rejoicing in God With Us

Well, the first thing, I think, is to rejoice in God Himself. Is my joy first in our traditions, or seeing family, or parties? Not that those things are wrong, but will I lose my joy when they aren’t possible? 

Or is my deeper joy in the good news that is far greater and far supersedes anything of this world? Trusting in Jesus Christ and following Him, my sins are forgiven. God has given me Himself (as He does to all who come to Him through faith in Jesus as Saviour, following Him as Lord). That’s such a reason to rejoice.

‘Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.’ Luke 2:10

When I think about it, I realise that there is still such good news of great joy. God gives me Himself. He is Immanuel- God with us. And that is all the more precious when I can’t be with those I love.

‘“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”’ Matthew 1:23

2. Being Comforted By God

This Christmas isn’t going to be the same as normal, and it would easy to be sad about it. And I know that’s not wrong. But I’m learning that the God of all comfort loves to draw us into His arms and minister to our sadness. And I deeply believe that there’s an invitation for us all to come into God’s Arms to be comforted for the things, and the people, we are missing this year. And that’s okay. I’m learning that He is very compassionate, and He loves (and longs) to comfort me in my sadness.

‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,’ 2 Corinthians 1:3

3. Being Thankful For What We Have

And being thankful for what I am given. I was afraid I might be completely on my own this Christmas, with Covid restrictions and logistics. But God has given me a family in His body, the church, and dear friends have offered to share their Christmas so I won’t be alone. And that’s such a gift- a gift from a gracious Father Who cares.

When I stop to think, I realise there are so many kind gifts from my loving Heavenly Father. And they are all the more poignant in the context of Covid.

I’m learning that being thankful for what is given brings sweet joy in God. 🙂

4. Joy in Giving

And there is joy, too, in blessing others. I often feel that I can do so little in comparison to the great, great need out there. But I’m learning God has a way of multiplying our little efforts. Even a little card of encouragement or gift given in love can bring deep joy, both to others… and also to ourselves.

Let’s not let all the sadness around us take our joy in God.

Let’s draw close to God and let Him minister to us.

Let’s be grateful for what we do have. 

Let’s share hope in Him with others.

Whatever the circumstances, I can rejoice because God came to us… God made a way back to Him through repentance and faith in Jesus as Saviour… God gives us Himself.

And I know that He is truly the greatest Gift of all.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Let’s Not Waste This Covid Space

Can you actually believe how fast time is passing?

I had a strange flashback a few weeks ago. My bubble family and I were celebrating Thanksgiving, as we do every year. We were there in my friend’s kitchen, preparing the food, as we do every year. And I had a sudden flashback to last Thanksgiving. It was so strange. It felt like I’d been in a time warp since last Thanksgiving: like I was on another planet! Can you relate?

The world has changed so much in a year.

But don’t you also think that, in some ways, time is still going fast?

Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava on Pexels.com

And, in spite of all the challenges and craziness, it seems like we are getting through this Covid time- or at least, hopefully through the worst of it.

It’s beginning to seem like this Covid season in its current form probably won’t last more than a few months. There is talk of vaccines. They are starting to talk about things getting more back to normal (at least partly!) sometime this year. Maybe even as soon as spring.

And it made me think: If I had a few months of Covid craziness left, what would I want to do with them?

It seems to me this time isn’t going to last forever. I’m not certain on how things will play out: I know the Bible does say that things will go crazy as the end gets closer (that’s why we all need to be ready and each make our own peace with God through Jesus before it’s too late).

But (oh, such good news!) vaccines are coming and, humanly speaking, it seems like a few months may bring us out of this mess.

So this is the question that came to me when I was wondering what to blog about:

If we have I few months left of Covid craziness, what would I want to do with them?

If I was looking back on the Covid season in a year or two’s time, what would I wish I had done with it? What opportunities do I have now that may not be as easy once all this is over? If I live to tell another generation about the Covid season, what will I wish I could tell them I had done with it? Will I have wasted it, or will I have made it count?

Covid, for all the struggles of this season, has provided us with a strange, unexpected space for reflection. Maybe for more simplicity. For doing things differently.

For many of us, it’s provided space.

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels.com

Space to re-think. To re-evaluate. To let unecessary things go.

And, when that space is filled again, will I have wasted it? Will I live my life differently because of what I’ve learned?

Will I have wasted this Covid space?

So, what do I think wasting this Covid space would look like?

Focusing on myself; laziness; wasted time (and I don’t mean legitimate rest or blessings).

Complaining about what I don’t have instead of being grateful for all the blessings.

Wasting this time as though I think it will last forever. Not realising that I can make even Covid days count.

And what do I think not wasting these Covid days would look like?

What could I do to make these Covid days count?

Using this time to re-evaluate: to think deep: to learn lessons. To seek God, and His help to live for what’s most important.

Praying. Spending time with Jesus. Worshipping. Putting Him first. Seeking Him, so that when I come out of this, I’ll have been shaped by time in His presence.

Listening to His Word. Listening to Him. Meeting with Him. Allowing Him to use this time in my life.

Drinking deeply from God’s love. Seeking Him, and letting Him minister to me. Soaking in the love and presence of God.

Being thankful. Deciding not to take blessings for granted when they are given. To be grateful for the gifts He gives.

Helping others. Now more than ever, I think we need to use our resources wisely. I know our economy has been hit hard. Maybe you’ve been touched personally and I don’t mean to belittle that. But, for poor countries, it’s on another level. Huge numbers of people in third world countries are literally facing starvation because they have no savings and have not been able to work. Covid has decimated the livelihoods of millions (if not more). And famine could be a very real consequence, in many places. On an unprecedented scale. We’re so blessed in the West that we have food and water and so much more. Let’s be generous. Let’s save lives, even if it hurts us a bit. I know we wouldn’t regret it if we really understood how much it meant.

Reaching out and encouraging others. Many people are hurting in this time. Many people are lonely and sad, and each of us probably knows a couple of them. (Maybe you are feeling it, too. Maybe you are feeling sad and alone. Please know that you are loved, and that people care, and God cares so much more. You are precious. I pray He will encourage you today.)

I know sometimes it can feel overwhelming to try to help everyone. But it’s amazing how much one little thing can do. A prayer. A text message. A phone call. Isn’t it amazing how Jesus can multiply our loaves and fish, when we give them to Him?

Sharing Christ with others. During this time, people are thinking. Reevaluating. Considering deep questions of life. And I know that those of us who know Christ have something to speak into that: something that really matters, for now and for all eternity. Judgement is coming, and it’s real. People need to know the Saviour, and the forgiveness He offers to all who will surrender and come to Him, turning from wrong and trusting Him to make them right with God.

And I would say this too: balanced with the importance of being sober and loving others and not wasting this, I also think we can enjoy the blessings of what’s left of this Covid space! I know that may be tough for some of us. I don’t mean to belittle that. But I know that, in my experience of this time, there are blessings. Extra closeness with the friends I’m bubbled with. Precious moments with them and their darling little girl. Moments with friends and family online that are precious and poignant because we can still have them. Church meetings that we can still have, even if they involve masks and distance.

Maybe, for some of us, Covid is a chance to catch up on rest and sleep we don’t normally get to have because we would usually be commuting or travelling or busy at evenings and weekends… or time to spend with people who are at home more… or to do things we wouldn’t normally get to do. Maybe it’s a good idea to write some of those down, too, and enjoy making them happen!

I’m sure that God has purposes for the rest of this Covid space. And I don’t want to miss them!

It seems like this season won’t last forever. And it would be such a shame to look back and realise I’ve wasted it!

What if we all took time to write down what we want to do differently with the rest of our lives because of the things we’ve learned from this Covid space?

And what if we all took time to seek God, and seek His leading for what’s left of this Covid space?

Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com

I believe this time is a unique opportunity… for reflection; for re-evaluation; for listening to the Lord.

And He’s showing me that He can use these days for precious, beautiful things, if I will involve Him in them.

These days are different. It’s a different normal. And, if life was to go back to the old normal soon, what would I wish I’d done with what I have right now?

Let’s not waste this Covid space.