Coronavirus as a Gift?
By Victoria Riollano
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. - Philippians 1:6
Unexpected, forced, necessary, isolation.
Many of us with little effort can relate to the statement above. Without warning, many all over the world experienced a sudden life change. Unable to work like normal, shunned for going to church, and no longer able to take our children to school; there was little time to adjust. While many complained, hid in fear, and wondered where God is in all of this, I keep wondering if this was and still is an opportunity.
An opportunity to awaken people back to God.
An opportunity to shift from “business as usual.”
An opportunity for personal growth.
An opportunity to do what God’s been calling us to do that we were too busy for previously.
We have the ability to not be victims of circumstance but to allow the circumstance to be a defining moment in our lives. If we truly believe that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28), then we should have an expectation that even the COVID-19 crisis can be used for God to move.
In Exodus 1:8-12, we see a story of oppression that includes a subtle hint to how we can use the toughest scenarios to our advantage. In this passage, the Israelites continue to reside in Egypt. This dwelling in Egypt originally started due to their ancestor, Joseph, having so much favor when he was alive. However, when Joseph passed away and many years went by, the Egyptians forgot who Joseph was and saw that the Israelites were more numerous than they could imagine.
So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became (Exodus 1:11-12).
In other words, the more they were oppressed, the more they grew. The more they gave birth! In this season, where heaviness and despair seem to be common, we have an opportunity to grow. We have an opportunity to give birth to what God’s called us to do. We can make a choice to not be crushed by the frustration but to enlarge our influence.
There is no greater time to go back to the drawing board and seek the Lord for what He’s called you to do. What if this time of stillness is your opportunity to start your blog, write your business plan, or begin online classes? What if this is your chance to reinvest in a dying relationship or study your Bible in a new way? In other words, we have been granted the opportunity to rise above our circumstances and do something new.
Let’s not look back and regret not taking advantage of this time! It will be up to us to decide if we allow oppression to stop us or catapult us! Refuse to allow this momentary pause to cheat you out of what God is calling you to. In the meantime, may we continue to pray for those who may be hurting in this time and for complete healing of everyone who’s been affected by COVID-19.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. - Philippians 1:6
Victoria Riollano is an author, blogger, and speaker. As a mother of six, military spouse, Psychology professor and minister’s wife, Victoria has learned the art of balancing family and accomplishing God’s ultimate purpose for her life. Recently, Victoria released her book, The Victory Walk: A 21 Day Devotional on Living A Victorious Life. Her ultimate desire is to empower women to live a life of victory, hope, and love. She believes that with Christ we can live a life that is ALWAYS winning. You can learn more about her ministry at victoryspeaks.org.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Originally published Monday, 26 April 2021.
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