Some people believe covid is a punishment from God for all the evil humans have done. But as Lesley-Anne once told me wisely, people often confuse punishment with consequence. If you don't study for an exam and fail it, that's the consequence of your own actions. It's not God punishing you for your laziness.
Some Christians believe if we pray hard enough or live a good enough life, we'll have a trouble-free life. That's why they're so quick to judge others when calamity befalls them, as if God is punishing them for not being good enough. This is self-directed faith - it's not biblical. Christians are not spared suffering. Because people are so imperfect, we often suffer the negative conquences of not just our own actions, but also other people's actions. Dishonest and incompetent governments come to mind.
What is true, however, is that even amidst trouble and suffering, we can intentionally choose be a blessing to others, in whatever way God has enabled us to - with our gifts, resources and presence. I was just recently reminded that something I wrote long ago (and long forgotten) had made an impact on someone. The clicking of jigsaw pieces in this interconnectedness of life never fails to amaze me - there's a grand plan in God's epic picture, we just have to work on our little pieces and it will all fall into place in time.
I pray for 2021 to be brighter than 2020, but regardless, know that light shines brightest in the darkness - and I wish for each of you to be a light to someone this coming year.
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