Surviving 2020
The theme song for the year of 2020 should be Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. For all of you who just started singing it in your head, here's the link: I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Seriously though, 2020 has seen a pandemic, social unrest, a near collision with an asteroid, zombie fires (those are a thing??), murder hornets, re-emergence of cicadas, a Sahara dust cloud, tornadoes, earthquakes, broken dams, and skyrocketing unemployment and it's only July. This will be a year to tell the grand kids as they sit wide-eyed listening to the struggles of the past.
Unfortunately, 2020 has also been a year for disappointment. Seniors have lost out on graduations and senior proms, families have been forced to cancel long-awaited vacations, and kids have had their summer plans turned on their heads. To say that 2020 has been hard to take in and process would be a huge understatement. If ever there was a year to point to as proof of the need for the confidence faith in Christ brings, it is this year.
As parents, it is vital that we help our children process everything they have experienced this year through the lens of Scripture. Your child is struggling with accepting the disappointments he has encountered while wrapping this mind around the life-altering experiences he has beheld. It is important that you take the time to listen to his or her concerns, fears, emotions, and questions.
There are a host of opinions and perspectives about the events that have transpired thus far this year. Chances are your child has heard several of these and it is important that you help them sift through these different points of view. As Christians we believe that the Bible is the ultimate source of truth. As such, it is vital that we approach the challenges experienced in 2020 from a biblical perspective. As you engage in discussion with your child about what has occurred and what he or she has experienced this year, consider including the following points:
1) God is always at work for good. Romans 8:28 says that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. Not all things are good, some are downright bad. However, God is always working to bring about good, even in the worst of situations.
2) God protects those who remain faithful to Him. Psalm 5:12 says, "For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." While this doesn't mean that bad things won't happen to us, it does mean that God works to protect those who love Him.
3) Sometimes there is no good explanation for why things happen. Job experienced great calamity in his life. The majority of this book is devoted to Job seeking answers for the travesties that happened to him. However, one of the last statements made by Job is important to take note of, "I had heard of you [God] by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you"(Job 42:5). What this passages seeks to communicate is that there are times when events occur that defy explanation and cause us to question our understanding of life and of God. When these kinds of situations arise, all we can do is trust God and seek comfort in Him.
4) When we hurt, God hurts with us. John 11:35 says, "Jesus wept." This, the shortest verse in the Bible, communicates a vital point. God is not an unemotional being who remains aloft and uncaring. Rather, God is pained when we experience hurt or disappointment.
5) When we are hurting, we can find comfort in God. Matthew 11:28 records Jesus imploring all who are hurting and weary to find rest in Him. When we are hurting, it is okay to voice our hurts to God and cry out to Him for comfort.
May the Lord bless you as you seek to point your children and your family towards a deeper relationship with Him.
Unfortunately, 2020 has also been a year for disappointment. Seniors have lost out on graduations and senior proms, families have been forced to cancel long-awaited vacations, and kids have had their summer plans turned on their heads. To say that 2020 has been hard to take in and process would be a huge understatement. If ever there was a year to point to as proof of the need for the confidence faith in Christ brings, it is this year.
As parents, it is vital that we help our children process everything they have experienced this year through the lens of Scripture. Your child is struggling with accepting the disappointments he has encountered while wrapping this mind around the life-altering experiences he has beheld. It is important that you take the time to listen to his or her concerns, fears, emotions, and questions.
There are a host of opinions and perspectives about the events that have transpired thus far this year. Chances are your child has heard several of these and it is important that you help them sift through these different points of view. As Christians we believe that the Bible is the ultimate source of truth. As such, it is vital that we approach the challenges experienced in 2020 from a biblical perspective. As you engage in discussion with your child about what has occurred and what he or she has experienced this year, consider including the following points:
1) God is always at work for good. Romans 8:28 says that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. Not all things are good, some are downright bad. However, God is always working to bring about good, even in the worst of situations.
2) God protects those who remain faithful to Him. Psalm 5:12 says, "For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." While this doesn't mean that bad things won't happen to us, it does mean that God works to protect those who love Him.
3) Sometimes there is no good explanation for why things happen. Job experienced great calamity in his life. The majority of this book is devoted to Job seeking answers for the travesties that happened to him. However, one of the last statements made by Job is important to take note of, "I had heard of you [God] by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you"(Job 42:5). What this passages seeks to communicate is that there are times when events occur that defy explanation and cause us to question our understanding of life and of God. When these kinds of situations arise, all we can do is trust God and seek comfort in Him.
4) When we hurt, God hurts with us. John 11:35 says, "Jesus wept." This, the shortest verse in the Bible, communicates a vital point. God is not an unemotional being who remains aloft and uncaring. Rather, God is pained when we experience hurt or disappointment.
5) When we are hurting, we can find comfort in God. Matthew 11:28 records Jesus imploring all who are hurting and weary to find rest in Him. When we are hurting, it is okay to voice our hurts to God and cry out to Him for comfort.
May the Lord bless you as you seek to point your children and your family towards a deeper relationship with Him.
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