“I can’t.”
I prohibit these two small words from my children’s vocabulary and yet, I’ve uttered them more times during the COVID-19 pandemic than I care to admit.
I’m a mom of five young children spanning from 4 months old to 10 years old. Life for me was busy before this all went down but somehow the organized chaos that was my family’s norm has been morphed into merely chaos. During this pandemic I’ve been pushed, pulled, and stretched to my physical, mental, and emotional limit. Being a mom, wife, cook, chauffeur, writer, amongst other things was a weight I could carry, but trying to juggle homeschooling three children while nursing an infant and making sure my toddler doesn’t fall off of the cabinet she is scaling is just too much. I have nothing left. In my own strength and ability, I simply cannot do this anymore.
I don’t know the challenges you are facing right now but chances are good you feel the same way.
The world may have come to a stand-still over the last few months but the roles, responsibilities and obligations we possess have not. Quite contrary, they have seemed to stack up, building higher and stronger until it feels like a ton of bricks are crashing down on top of a house of cards.
We are weak and our loads are heavy. How can we possibly carry the burdens of those we love (Galatians 6:2) when we are buried beneath the weight of our own?
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Vladimir Vladimirov
We may want “out” from the situations we are experiencing but God calls us “in”—into Him. When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8), reminding us we are not alone while providing us with the strength we need to conquer whatever life may throw our way (Philippians 4:13).
When we seek the Lord first, we are being intentional to prioritize what is the most important. For the Christian, this means spending dedicated time in God’s word, actively praying and continually reflecting. Depending on your situation, quiet time may be unrealistic right now but take heart, there are many ways to connect to the Creator before you connect with the created. Consider Christian podcasts, online sermons, audio Bible commentaries, and digital Bible studies from apps like the First5 app and YouVersion.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/tommaso79
God knows there are circumstances we may not be able to handle right now that He wants us to hand over to Him. Waving our white flags and laying down our weaknesses allows God to show off His power and display His glory and strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-11). Whether it’s sin we are tethered to, control we refuse to surrender, emotions we need to uncover, or fear we need to release, God is ready to rescue those who seek Him during times of trouble (Psalm 50:15).
If doesn’t matter if you’re an essential worker working all hours of the day, a parent or caregiver trying to juggle homeschooling along with home life, a job, or other commitments, or someone who has received a more flexible weekly schedule, this pandemic has had draining effects on every individual’s mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Do yourself a favor and take a time-out. Depending on your situation, that could look like taking a long nap or receiving an eight-hour block of sleep, turning off the television or unplugging from technology so you can enjoy the fresh air of God’s creation, or perhaps waking up early to savor a hot mug of your favorite morning beverage along with some peace and quiet. Rest comes in various formats and we all need it, especially now.
“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 CSB)
Photo Credit: © Getty Images
We are only as good as the goodness that fills us. In this season, that is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before, we must be intentional with our time and the things that fill our minds. We need to be “fed” first before we feed others, otherwise we will succumb to junk. We all know junk food may taste good going down, but it doesn’t keep us full for long or make us healthy in the long run.
Tuning “in” to the Spirit and being fed with sustaining fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) will provide the spiritual nutrition we need to not just survive but thrive. It’s the soul food our bodies crave, especially during times of depletion, and it will fill us up so we are able to pour ourselves out to those who need us the most.
Our wants, needs, and desires aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, neither are the responsibilities we have nor the roles we pursue. Life has a new normal and it is both unpredictable and hard to navigate. We don’t know how much longer this pandemic will last or if it will return. With the future in the hands of the One who wrote it, there is no better present than the present. Give everything you carry to God, and then see how He leads forward you in His strength.
When you’re feeling like you just can’t anymore, don’t give up, look up. Lift up your prayers and present your requests to the Lord. He will remove your anxieties while guarding your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
Release your burdens and the emotions that are weighing you down (1 Peter 5:7). Open your heart to receive perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3).
When you want to lose hope, lose yourself instead (Galatians 6:8).
And always, trust in the Lord and let Him guide the way (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/digitalskillet