My Heart Aches
Life was not supposed to be this way. I was still supposed to be at college finishing the spring semester with all of my friends. We were supposed to be celebrating Easter at church with friends and family, but instead, we will be watching church on the TV and only celebrating with my immediate family. In the past couple of weeks, lots of things haven’t gone the way that they were supposed to have gone. Yet, I can still say that God is still good.
We all knew it was coming, but it always hits harder when something officially. We all knew that schools would not be going back for the rest of the school year, but it hit hard when it was officially announced yesterday. I think you have probably heard it by now, but if you haven’t, you can check out this article: https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/governor-wolf-extends-school-closure-for-remainder-of-academic-year/. Governor Tom Wolf stated, “This was not an easy decision but closing schools until the end of the academic year is in the best interest of our students, school employees, and families”.
Little did I know that when I said goodbye to my kindergarten students (from my internship) before spring break, that it would be my final goodbye to them. My heart aches for all of the teachers who most likely won’t see any of their students until the fall. My heart aches for all of the teachers who can’t end the year properly. My heart aches for all of the students who are disappointed that they are going back to school to see their friends and their teacher. My heart aches right now for a lot of things and for a lot of people and I don’t always know what to do with all of that. While my heart aches, I have hope.
This past week I was reading You and Me forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity by Francis Chan and Lisa Chan for one of my classes and I couldn’t help but think how applicable it is to life today even though I am not married. Chapter 5 is titled “Is There Hope for Us?” and there are so many implications for us today in our present circumstances. Chan notes that we spend too much time looking at the temporary things which is what Satan wants us to do. It is hard not to look at the temporary things when people all around all of us are falling sick and dying from Covid-19. It is hard to see the positive because as soon as you turn the news on, you hear terrible news. Instead of focusing only on that, let’s look to God and to the future that is to come.
2 Corinthians 4:16–18 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (New International Version).
Let’s hold onto the promise of the future glory that is to come. It is easy to let our troubles with the virus get in the way of this, but let’s join together and run to God together.
It is hard to imagine what the future will be like amidst all of the current uncertainties. However, Francis Chan encourages his readers to imagine what the future will be like because “our excitement proves that we believe in His resurrection and our own” (138). I encourage you to go read Revelation 21–27 and take note of the glorious future that is to come!
Works Cited
Chan, Francis, and Lisa Chan. You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity. Imprint Edition, 2015.
The Holy Bible: New International Version. Zondervan, 2005.
