The Other Side of the Coin
On a warm summer morning my companions sat in a circle, full of contagious smiles and laughter. Our Bible study group had not met in person for fifteen months. Oh sure, we connected online and for the past five weeks we gathered a smaller portion of our group in person. But it was once again being all together that filled my soul with joy.
As we sat enjoying our “bring your own” lunch, everyone had an opportunity to share an update about their past year. Woman after woman shared positive impacts of the last year’s lockdown. As we listened in amazement, we heard deep gratitude for extended time with family, a shifting of priorities, letting go of a busy lifestyle, and a deepening of their personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
As I looked at these women, I know that over this last year most of them have experienced the loss of family or friends. Some have struggled with their own health as well as the health of family members. Their lives were upended, and their plans suspended. Yet these ladies were determined to look at the other side of the coin. They did not stop at the obvious: their cancelled plans, the grief, or the hurt and pain this past year brought. Instead, they decided to discover what God was teaching them and find things to be thankful for.
Over the past winter and spring, we studied some of the Apostle Paul’s letters recorded in the New Testament. These ladies were displaying the same attitude Paul did when he endured a season where he did not know what the outcome would be. He was under house arrest, chained to Roman soldiers, and waited to learn if he would be released or put to death. During his time of great uncertainty, Paul penned these words: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
Like Paul the Apostle, we have a choice about our focus. It can be fixed on our horrible life experiences or circumstances, our losses, or the unpredictability of outcomes. Yet within those same circumstances, we can seek out what The Almighty is teaching us through them. His Word is full of examples of ordinary people who shifted their perspective from the things around them to the Eternal God.
I am thankful for faithful friends in my life who search for God and rejoice in Him. In the process, they encourage me to see what He is doing even during the lockdowns and constraints of my life.