For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
- 2 Timothy 1:7
We have all heard the phrase that these are “unprecedented times.” Many of us have uttered those words ourselves. Indeed they are for those of us saying as much, but for many of our brothers and sisters in the U.S. and abroad, it’s no different than the norm: fear of getting sick, no health insurance, no job or one that doesn’t pay a living wage, inadequate healthcare, etc.
So much is predicated around mindset and the point from which we view the landscape. Not only does the Coronavirus instill fear, but so does the uncertainty of having “never been here before.” But does this mean that we need to remain paralyzed as we wait for the storm to pass? Indeed not.
Jesus was constantly calling us to metanoia - to have a change in mindset and see things in a new way. It seems that Jesus, the wise ones who embrace mindfulness, those who remain curious and build upon strengths, all of these types of leaders are the ones who weather the storms and come out on top. So what can we learn from them?
For one, stay curious. What can we learn from this situation? Are we just riding this out so that we can go back to business as usual or are we going to use this disruption as the catalyst for change that it is? What sacred cows do we now realize aren’t essential and should be let go of?
Welcome a change in mindset. Take a look at those “same old things” through a new lens. Are some of those ministries, tasks, or “liabilities” now something very different? Perhaps they are something key to serving your congregation or the wider community. Maybe it can even be turned into a potential revenue stream to sustain your church in the future. Things can be the same and yet very different at the same time.
As Marianne Williamson so aptly said, we are not afraid of our weakness, but afraid of our power. Well, don’t be. God gave it to us wrapped in a cloak of love and self-discipline (and might I add self care) for a reason. May we use it and use it well.
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