What are you learning?

Do you feel like you are thriving, or just surviving in these times?

If you feel like you are just surviving, you are not alone. It’s a normal response during a crisis. Survival mode is not a time for deep reflection or self-improvement. Whether it be due to financial, family pressures or other pressures, survival mode is just that – holding ourselves together as best we can until we feel able to breathe more easily again.

Have you noticed that some around you seem to be thriving? For them, lockdown has brought unexpected benefits; they have found space to notice and learn.

Maybe you find yourself moving between surviving and thriving on a daily basis. That is normal too, and it reminds us that God’s grace is constant, wherever we find ourselves on the ‘corona-coaster (i.e. the coronavirus rollercoaster).’

Amongst those who have an experience of thriving at this time, I have noticed the following themes:

1. Sabbath rest: Through a change of Sunday routine, of reduced external commitments, they have noticed the benefits of being still and quiet. They have worshipped God among creation, spending time alone in prayer and reflection.
2. Focus: Through decreased weekly commitments, some have enjoyed the opportunity to attend to their ‘wildly important goals:’ They are being present to tasks or relationships for which they constantly wished they had time, but to which they never seemed to get.
3. Community: Many have found the joy of conversing with neighbours (from a distance), greeting strangers and delighting to see families outdoors together. As we participate in various ways, we are reminded to pray for the peace of our communities.

What practices do you hope you will retain beyond abatement? What positive changes do you hope to see in your faith community? Are there programs or habits that need to be retired, to make room for the new things that God will surely do among us? Are you talking with each other about this?

We’ll soon be running short videos on this theme on our Facebook page, as a range of our LCAQD community members share their thoughts on these questions