[The following was written by one of our students in High School Youth Ministry, Alanna.]
You’ve heard it called many things: "COVID-19", "global pandemic", "coronavirus", or, in cases where people decide to joke, the supposed "end of the world". However, I bet you’ve never heard this particular virus referred to as an "opportunity".
However, I bet you’ve never heard this particular virus referred to as an "opportunity"
This world has a tendency to make everything seem so awful. There’s no silver lining, no positive side, no bit of light poking out through the darkness. Because essentially no one wants to take the time to see the other side of things, everything appears to be either black or white, good or bad, right or wrong. The reality, though, is that all things have positives and negatives to them.
Here’s an example of something with both positives and negatives. You’re in a school debate and it’s the other team’s turn. They bring up a very valid point that makes you have to think quite a bit in order to come up with a refuting statement. This goes to show that neither team is right or wrong; rather, they both have very important points. In this world, no one wants to acknowledge the other side of things; rather, they have to be right all the time, because only their way is correct.
My point is this: The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t all bad; it’s actually a huge opportunity for us! Sure, we’re inside quite frequently, but we’re entirely missing the fact that we have time for all the things we were never able to do before. Personally, when I’m at school, I think of things that I really want to be able to do, whether it be working on writing one of my books, reading, or trying something new. When I finally get to the weekend, though, I’m so tired that I really don’t do much, and then it’s time to start another week of school. This turns into a loop of missed opportunities.
So far, my family and I have been spending more time together, I’ve finally been able to write, and I’ve done a bit of my own research on topics that interest me. Most importantly, I’ve learned that people aren’t truly grateful for things until they’re gone, which is what caused me to realize how much I’m impacted by my friends, teachers, and classmates. I’ve also started to pray more, because, let’s be honest, we all forget to talk to God at one point or another. God has given us so much, and He’s taking care of us through everything; the least we can do is thank Him! I encourage everyone, myself included, to at least have simple conversations with God throughout the next several weeks. It is Lent, after all, which is the perfect time to strengthen our relationship with our Father!
No matter what you’re doing right now, know that it’s okay and perfectly natural to feel confused, angry, disappointed, bored, stressed, etc. The important thing to remember is that we need to place our trust in God during this time and ask Him to help us find positivity, motivation, faith, and things to be thankful for. If you have a hard time finding things to add to that list, think of how much He’s given us and how He continues to help us each and every day.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Alanna is a very bubbly, enthusiastic extrovert. She loves singing, writing, acting, and reading. She is a sophomore in high school but is often mistaken to be much younger than that. (This probably explains why she is often referred to as 'Peanut' or 'Bean'). Alanna is currently working on writing a few different books on GetUnderlined and hopes to be a published author someday.
