Finding Joy in the Midst of Disruption
It has been 6 months since the year started. Yet for many, life seems to have been at a standstill due to COVID-19. Many restrictions have been put in place; our lives have been somewhat disrupted by these restrictions and measures.
One of the biggest disruptions I faced during COVID-19 was being unable to go to church, the place where I spent the bulk of my weekends. Church has been closed since early February and even though it will gradually be reopening in early July, we still cannot go back to worshipping and fellowshipping as we used to. Of course, there was an initial shock at the closing of church, followed by a gradual acceptance of how this is going to be the norm till we successfully beat this virus.
But how could I continue to have joy in the Lord if I cannot be in church to learn and be with my friends? How could I find joy if I have been forced to stay at home and have my movements restricted?
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!”
Psalm 105:3
Psalm 105:3 tells us that those who seek the Lord can rejoice. To me, this is a promise to me that as long as I do my part to read, to dwell, to pursue the Word, I will find joy no matter the circumstances.
The context of Psalm 105 is how our God is a covenant-keeping God. He has kept His promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the nation of Israel. Similarly, we can believe that what He has promised to us in His word will come to pass. This is the very reason why we can confidently give glory to His holy name, seek God and His strength, and find joy thereafter.
Have I found this promise of joy to be true while seeking God and His strength? Yes! During the circuit breaker period where we had to stay home, I had 2 extra hours every day because I did not have to spend it on travelling to work. I really treasure the extra time I had to spend with the Lord every morning, to be able to take my time to dwell on His word till joy fills my heart.
As Singapore gradually reopens, there are still many precautions we have to take. Nobody knows how long we would take to return to the exact same life we had before COVID-19, or whether we will ever return.
Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!”
Psalm 105:4
It may be inconvenient to lose our “freedom”, but Psalm 105:4 encourages us to continue seeking the Lord and His strength. We need to rely on the Lord to keep us safe, we need His strength to help us cope with the disruptions and inconveniences we face.
Ultimately, we are to seek the person of the Lord Himself. I am reminded that my focus should not be on wanting to go out to claim back my freedom as soon as I can, but to seek the Lord and find joy in Him instead. May we treasure this opportunity to build a close and personal relationship with the Lord and find that joy we so badly need in the midst of this pandemic!
Written by Germaine Kong