This quarantine has changed everything. If you have any type of feelings, you have found yourself either bored, feeling isolated, or even anxious to get THIS OVER WITH! But there is something else that this quarantine offers to us - self-reflection. As I self-reflected, I realized there are three types of people who will come out of this quarantine. I could come out of this quarantine one of three ways. We can all come out one of three ways.
The stagnant one: stagnant is defined as showing no activity; dull and sluggish. This is the type of individual that puts no effort into his/her spiritual life. This is dangerous because this individual relies on others to help launch and keep their faith consistent. And, when the church had to close its doors, this person stayed stuck where they are at. The most frustrating thing is to stay stuck. You’re only stuck because you aren’t doing anything. You lack focus. The only way to get out of ‘stuck’ is to do something. The only way to do something in a quarantine is to do it yourself. If you are this person, God is saying DO SOMETHING. Make the move.
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8The backslider: backsliding is defined as the action of relapsing into bad ways or error. This is the type of person who wavered in their faith prior to the quarantine. And, when the quarantine hit, it was only a matter of time before they went right back into their old, sinful habits. The difference between a stagnant person and a backslider is this: the stagnant person isn’t do anything at all; the backslider is doing something and that something is sinful. This person isn’t just stuck, they are worse off than before. They’ve gotten in so deep in their sinful habits, they don’t know how to come out. The thing is when you rely on the four walls of a building to launch and care for your faith, you are presented with a huge problem because the moment that is swept away from you, you become lost. The building was your crutch instead of Jesus being your healing. I’m not saying church building is bad. I know we need a building where we get together and encourage each other. It’s a place where God moves. We need that. But it isn’t our only source. God is everywhere. He’s near you right now. You are never too far gone that God can’t reach down and pick you up. He is a God of grace and mercy. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
The maturing: Notice I said ‘maturing’ and not ‘matured’. Matured implicates that it’s complete, while maturing implicates growth. We are all still growing in the Lord. The point is that we are not staying the same, but we are becoming more mature. In the Bible the Greek word for ‘mature’ is téleios. It describes a journey and the person on the journey is going through the necessary stages to reach the end-goal. This is so important. We are all going through this journey of spiritual growth and this quarantine is just an opportunity for you to get stronger....the hardest workout of your life meant to prove that you do have endurance and perseverance. And, a journey comes in stages/steps. You just have to keep moving forward because moving forward is the only way to avoid going back (backsliding) or staying stuck (stagnant). You have to stay Focused on the Goal. I really like how Paul describes his journey...“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” Phil 3:12-14 MSG. Keep running the race. Make a commitment to read the Word everyday, pray everyday, fast when you can...JUST DO SOMETHING EVERYDAY.
“There are three types of people who will come out of this quarantine. Which one will you be?”