The Long Season

Lately, I am just out of words. There are so many answers I do not know. Even the questions that were so simple six months ago now leave me speechless. “When can we see Grandpa again?” “Um . . . “ “When can we go to New York?” “Uh . . . “

At the beginning of “stay home, stay safe” it seemed as if the world was full of a strange kind of hope and energy. We had an unexpected new gift. Time! We slowed down. We had been overscheduled for so long that this new gift of time allowed us to do the long overlooked tasks such as cleaning closets and some coveted tasks like reading books. Some ambitious people even started at-home exercise programs and learning new languages.

However, now, there is no new energy. Some of us are losing our boundless determination to find the positive. Some of us are beginning to feel anxious when trapped inside for days at a time. Some of us miss simple answers and simple questions. Some of us miss Grandpa.

This has become a long season of waiting for so many things to get better. Yet some of us are experiencing something more. Our restlessness finds its rest in God. The Lord is close to us in our broken heartedness. We are not alone. We are not broken. We are only growing weary, and in the Lord, we have refuge (Matthew 11:28).

Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. This season has been long and heavy. The burden seems too much. I am grateful that you help carry all my burdens and give me rest. Lord, please help me be aware of the things that are good even amidst the mess and mindful of the progress made daily. Thank you, Lord, for always being near me and listening even when I have no more words. Amen.

Go Deeper — Research has shown that both the writers and recipients benefit from letters of gratitude. Think of a person for whom you are thankful and let them know the old fashioned way by writing them a letter and mailing it.