Reflection to Insight

Guys I’m going to be honest, things are a little rough right now. I believe things are rough for all of us right now. Some of us are back at school, whether that is grade school, Junior High, High School, or college. Others are back working in their respective careers. Regardless of where we are, there are still a great deal of guidelines and precautions that we are abiding by in an effort to remain open and stay safe. These guidelines are important, and the best thing we can do right now is to follow the rules. But sometimes following the rules isn’t fun or easy. Sometimes it outright stinks. It seems like a lot of us are struggling one way or another as we try to navigate our way through this time. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the virus, and we are still trying to learn all we can in relation to it. As a result, we may be struggling to feel the joy that we once had.

One of my psychology professors has mentioned something on a few different occasions that has stuck with me. He said something along the lines of, “Each person is about 10 – 20 times more stressed than normal due to the strain Covid 19 is inflicting.” And I can’t help but agree. I believe that ever since March we have all been a little more on edge than we were before. Quite frankly, I believe that many of us may be feeling a little fed up with things. I know I have moments myself where I feel that way.

It has been awesome to be back at school and see so many friends from last year. However, things are different this semester. Everyone has been required to wear masks, do their best to stay six feet apart, and remain in quarantine if they start to develop any symptoms. Due to this, the campus feels as if it’s lost a little bit of life. There aren’t as many people who meet in social settings to hang out. Many of the social events we once would have held, we can no longer have as a result of the virus.

The AU staff has done their very best to make things feel like normal, while still abiding by the various guidelines. I applaud them for this. I imagine things have been extremely stressful on their end. I appreciate the hard work that each of them has put into making this place feel like the old AU. But there is still more to be done. There are still things we can do to make this place come alive again. We just have to figure it out and work together as we brainstorm ideas. It will take a little creativity, but we can come up with something.

Thankfully, we all still have a beacon of hope that shines brighter than the darkness this virus spills forth. God is still present, and as I have heard many people say over the past several months, none of this has caught our Lord by surprise. He knows what’s up, and He already has the solution. We just have to remain faithful and strong. We have to remain hopeful and wait patiently for Him. He has remained with us in the ugliest parts of this entire situation. He will not abandon us now, or at any other point in the future. He is faithful. As we see in Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”

We all are working to cope with the new normal set before us. No matter where you are, whether it be school, work, or anywhere else, we all must strive to persevere. But we must persevere in joy. I know that is extremely hard to do sometimes. But joy is a special gift God has given to us; His beloved children. The joy He provides will stomp out any strain or peril. The joy he provides brings a peace that rests within us even in the darkest and most painful areas of our lives. If we cling to that gift, it will help all of us in these times. If we stick with God and trust Him, we won’t be let down. He will come through for us. We must also remember to walk in unity with one another. Walking with each other in love and joy will bring about a great deal of healing. And if we do, we will be all the better for it. Joy is contagious. If we spread it to one another on a daily basis, we will inevitably see change.

I don’t really know how everyone’s situation has looked. I imagine it has been difficult in varying degrees, and there may be different levels of anxiety that have spread around. The struggles that I see on my campus may be different from that of someone in the business world. They may be entirely different from those of another college campus. Our struggles have all been different and unique, but they are nonetheless struggles. As I’ve heard many people say, we’re all in this together. As we wait to see what happens, let’s rest in our Lord together. We aren’t defeated and we’ll make it through this. Let’s walk in the freedom that joy can bring.