This morning I was confronted by the normal barrage of depressing news about the pandemic and the resultant impact on the economy.
For the best part of 2020 we have been living in a ‘nightmare’ none of us seen coming. Almost everything we thought was certain has been shaken by the storm that has swept across the globe, triggered by the pandemic. A local classroom assistant described 2020 well when he wrote a book for children called ‘The Year the World Got Sick’.
So how do we respond to this as leaders of businesses, organisations, communities and churches?
Firstly, I want to say that I think most of us have understandably reacted with shock, fear and sadness and a whole range of other emotions. That is to be expected. We have not experienced anything like this before.
However, 6-9 months on from the pandemic being declared I do think it is time that each us began to intentionally focus our attention each day on the Rock, rather than the storm. Whilst sadly the storm still continues to rage (and we pray that the storm will soon cease), we are re-assured that ‘we are not as those without hope’ and hence we choose to not be moved by the storm but to find certainty in being anchored to the Rock, Christ Jesus.
In order to help us be ‘Rock’ focused, rather than storm focused, I would suggest three things:
Refocus
If you are anything like me, you will admit that it has been hard to remain anchored to hope during this season. However, we know that in Jesus, we have within us the hope of the world. Let us therefore determine to refocus our hearts and minds each day on the Rock and in doing so I believe we will find that:
we have a growing sense of peace filling our hearts and minds;
we have an ability to see the storm through the eyes of Jesus, the Rock of all ages;
we have opportunities to speak peace into the lives of our families, neighbours and work colleagues who have been ‘rocked’ by the storm.
2. Recalibrate
With many of our former ‘certainties’ no longer certain there is a need to recalibrate our minds to account for the reality we find ourselves in and to re-programme our minds away from the negativity of all that we read and see, determining to re-tune or minds to what God says about us, His children, and about the good plans He has for the days ahead. Personally, in order to do this, I have had to choose to:
spend much less time watching the news and to be very selective about what I allow myself to view on social media;
spend more time reading the Bible, praying, worshipping and listening to the Father;
spend more time reading faith filled books and listening to faith filled podcasts.
3. Reimagine
If ever there was a time for dreamers and visionaries now is that time. The world needs people to arise who believe!
Recently I read of someone who had set the history of world into 2 periods: BC and AC; that is ‘Before Covid’ and ‘After Covid’. We need to live AC focused!
Whatever sector of life you lead in, wherever in the world you live, I believe God is calling you to ‘re-imagine’ how your business, your industry and your community can seize the opportunities that are there for those who are focused on the Rock, not the storm.
I, for one, will be cheering you on!
Tommy Stewart (Founder of Christians Who Lead)