“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
It’s been over a year since we have been struggling through pandemic restrictions related to Covid-19. And now, we have vaccines and many of our friends and neighbors have been vaccinated. Signs of life from before this virus are starting to show themselves again. It’s not over, there are still concerns for children and the many who have not been vaccinated, but we are enjoying a return to something more normal.
So often, when people experience bad things, they rush to forget them as quickly as possible. There is a danger that we will do that now. Can we force ourselves to remember and learn the lessons of this experience? What are some of those lessons we should remember?
Don’t take good things for granted. The people you love, your health, your income, any of these can be taken away at any time. We cannot keep them forever, even when we are not living in a global health crisis. Enjoy and appreciate those good things while you can. Call your mom. Take a walk. Have dinner with a friend.
Taking care of your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health is always a good investment. No matter what you live through, good times and bad, you will always be living with yourself. If you are not taking care of your own body, heart and spirit, you will not be prepared to be alone with yourself if that becomes necessary. Strengthen those muscles, find someone to love, think deeply, pray.
Learn to let go. A part of that emotional and spiritual health is learning the necessary lesson that we cannot hold onto people or things forever. Holding fiercely to the things we love is a healthy part of living. But we also need to be able to let things go when the time comes.
As disciples of Jesus, we can see in His example all of these things. Jesus valued the short times that He had on earth. He loved others. He took time to pray and to eat. He was willing to let go of His own plans when God’s will took Him on a different path. He calls us to live the same way.
Love in Christ,
Greg
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