The Silence is Deafening
I have to admit that the last three weeks have been a whirlwind of information overload. We have heard updates from our President, our Governor, and our County Mayor. Through all of the news stations, online journalists, and newspapers, our social media has been bombarded with news of people getting sick with the COVID-19, people dying, businesses laying employees off, food and other supplies unavailable on the shelves, and families forced into working from home and homeschooling their children. But through it all when I sit out on my back porch the silence is deafening. I have been praying daily several times a day for our nation and our leaders. I have also prayed for my family’s protection from this invisible but deadly virus.
I feel God’s peace in my life. I go to bed at peace, I work during the day and I am at peace, I wake up and I am at peace. But I have to ask myself why is there silence? Has God forgotten about His children? Are we being punished as a global nation? As I read through scriptures and devotions and pray, it occurred to me that the reason there is silence is that for many years there was noise. The hustle and bustle of driving to work on overcrowded interstates, rushing to go here and there, parties at bars and venues, hate crimes, protests for different causes, bullying in schools and the workplace, as well as an increase in divorce rates, and abortions.
With the closing of non-essential businesses and a shelter-in order of everyone in their homes, the earth has been silenced. I see people walking and running outside for exercise, families playing on their front and back porches as well as riding their bicycles. There has been a silence of the news talking about crimes, protests, and all the news that causes stress to many because the focus has shifted to the virus. But again, I ask myself, why now? What is God trying to do with our global nation?
Yesterday I sent out messages on Facebook on our support pages for Empowering Women and Girls, our neonatal intensive care unit support page, and several texts to friends to just do a well check. I felt the need to connect with them to see how they were doing and what I can do to help them during this difficult time. Many responses were general to say that they were doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances; but some were sad because their jobs laid them off, while others were scared or angry because their employers were making them work without any protection of wearing a mask not knowing who they can be exposed to. I thought about it and responded with words of encouragement. But as I thought further, I sent information to some on work at home jobs and to others, I encouraged them to take this time to do something for themselves that they wanted to do; whether to go back to school or something as simple as rearranging closets, answering emails, and organizing their business marketing and websites.
As I continued about my day yesterday, I still felt a pull in my heart that there was something I was not grasping during this time. I prayed before bed and asked God to show me what is the lesson that we are all supposed to learn here? It wasn’t until midnight that it came to me and immediately I got up to write this blog that you are reading today. This is all about a Silent Night, a Holy Night, and John 3:16; ” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ” I know you may be asking what does that have to do with this pandemic. We are “one nation under God; indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” When you look up the meaning of indivisible, it means unable to be divided. Our nation and our families have been divided for quite some time. Our worship to Him has been diminished because something always distracts us from our time spent with Him. Our family life has suffered for many because we are focused on working all the time (myself included). This is not a post about pointing fingers and shaming anyone as the phrase says when you point at someone remember there are three fingers pointing right back at you.
When God sent His Son to die on the cross for us, He sent Him to save us, forgive our sins, and to worship Him. As a nation we did okay for a few years, but then the inevitable started and we lost our focus along the way. This last year we have seen hate among races and preferences, bullying, suicide, mental health problems including depression, murders, employers overworking employees not leaving enough time for them to spend with their families, and fearful if they do not keep up that they will lose their jobs. I am not saying that God came down from the Heavens last night and said all this to me, I am saying that when I prayed last night and asked God why this is happening, this is what I felt in my heart. Since we as a nation will not or cannot stop and change our circumstances either by choice or not, He gave us a way to stop and have a Silent Night/A Holy Night. What does that mean? Well, there is not one person in the entire world that is not affected in some way by this pandemic. Either we know someone that has it, we have it, our job is affected, or we are home on shelter in. Everyone has been touched by this. Now that God has our undivided attention, it is time for that Silent Night/Holy Night. Spend time with God, ask Him to forgive your sins (no one is perfect so we are all sinners so no saying that you do good and help the world, therefore, you are free of sin!), spend time talking with your family, playing outside with the kids on the porch or backyard, talk to your neighbors through the social distancing, by phone or the fence. This is the time for a Silent Night/Holy Night.
During these difficult days to come as we shelter in, “Keep the Faith” do not worry or stress for The Lord will provide. Allow His perfect peace to dwell in your hearts.
Remember Psalm 127:1-2
Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to[a] those he loves.
In this verse what the author was trying to say is that God blesses us while we sleep probably just like He gave Solomon the desires of his heart while he slept. King Solomon could have asked God for riches and power but instead, He asked God for wisdom on how to lead his people and he, therefore, became one of the wisest men because he asked for wisdom instead of riches. So like Solomon let our daily prayer be, Lord please give me wisdom on how to be a good servant to You, how to lead my family during this pandemic, and do what is in Your will. The second prayer is, Lord please give me faith like Noah, because when things look grim and without hope, I want to have a faith that surpasses all doubt despite what I hear, read, and see. And lastly, as women our prayer should be, Lord during these difficult times when we think our beauty is affected because we cannot get our hair and nails done at the salon, or workout at the gym, etc, give us a heart like the Proverbs 31 woman. Help us to rest on the verse in Proverbs 31:30 ” Charm is deception and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Follow Galatians 6:9, ” Let us not become weary in doing good.”
I know that I may not have the popular vote today for blogs and some may choose to unfollow my posts, but that is okay, I am not here for the popular vote, I am here to just say what I felt in my heart. If this blog has blessed you let me and others know by sharing and commenting on it. I greatly appreciate the time you have taken to read this post.