As a teacher, these past five months have been filled with so many feelings. Disappointment, confusion, frustration, and worry are just a few I can name. And it seems that, depending on which headline you read, the interruptions, cancellations, and social isolation are far from over. I know God has a plan. I tell myself that every single day. But some days I get so frustrated with the fact that I have absolutely no clue what that plan is! This next week some schools will begin to invite students back for a new school year. As I stood in my empty classroom yesterday, questions swarmed around in my mind. How many students will I actually have in this room? Will there be enough space to keep distance? How will I manage the mask situation? Will I be able to meet in small groups? How should I manage classroom materials? What are parents expecting to see in this room? Many more questions continued to fill my thoughts, but I had no answers.. I stood there, frozen, unsure of what to do next. I had absolutely no clue . Have any of you ever felt this way? You may not be an educator, but I know there are many of us who have been faced with the stress of not knowing what is going to happen next – especially in the past few months.
It is so easy for us to feel invincible sometimes, and we forget that most precious blessings in this life are temporary. Before the coronavirus, I’m not sure I really understood what Isaiah meant when he warned, “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades…” (Isaiah 40:6-7 ESV) But these last few months have humbled my heart. I mean who would have thought that professional sports would ever just stop? That national borders would close? That international travel would be grounded? That church services would be suspended? That Disney’s magical gates would stay shut? Any and everything can be taken away. Our most reliable systems can’t always be relied upon. Everything on Earth is temporary. So, our trust and hope cannot be in our wealth, our achievements, our career, or our GPA. Our hope needs to be in God. (1 Timothy 6:17 ESV) The God who is with us during social distancing. The God who is for us despite our fears and failures. The God who is in us, working through his Spirit to comfort us and replace our worries with worship.
If you continue reading in Isaiah, He contrasts by saying, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8 ESV) While we admit everything on this earth is temporary, we can smile at the fact that God’s Word endures forever, and there can be no closing the book on his promises to us. Let’s face it, we will never get an email from him apologizing for a change in plans and an explanation on how to continue forward. (Wouldn’t that be so convenient?) But here are three words that occurred to me as I stood confused, scared, and discouraged in my classroom – God is here! At that moment of realization, I felt peace take over my mind and body. I love thinking about the presence of God. I’m talking about the God who is better than a cure for coronavirus, better than a restriction-free world, better than a four-figure stimulus check from the government. It takes a lot of work, but I really try hard to force my brain to remember that God is better than the best this life has to offer. And what’s even better is that glorious, wonderful, trustworthy God is right here with us in this moment! So, why don’t we need to fear or worry or stress? Because God is a “very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1-2 ESV) He is forever at our side, always present as we deal with the uncertainties of tomorrow.
Could this weird new world drag out for months? It could. Could life be significantly different when this virus is finally cured? It could and probably will. If that scares you, remember God is here. God will still be with you even in the worst-case scenario. Picture him in your room like I did. Close your eyes and see his smiling face. Imagine the best blessing you could be given, and then say out loud, “But God is even better.” Then whisper, “And God is here.” Heaven is heaven because you get to be with God. Thankfully, being with God doesn’t have to wait because he is present now. Therefore, you don’t have to fear this virus or whatever big challenge you’re facing in life. Go “Into the Unknown” with the peace of knowing that God is here.