The treadmill has stopped. The offices are empty, and the shops are closed. The busyness of life that we once boasted in is now being turned into the boredom of isolation. It is hard to remember the last time we had so much spare time on our hands (well, at least for those of us who do not have young children!). The question is, what are we going to do with all that time? We are now entering week four of the government enforced lockdown and it looks like we will soon be entering week five, week six, week…. So how are you going to pass all that spare time that we once craved but now that we have it in abundance, are not really sure what to do with it?
By now, your house is so clean that even Mrs Hinch would approve. You have finally managed to sort through the attic/garage. A mow of the lawn here, a power wash there, your garden has never looked better. Your inner interior designer has redesigned every room of the house. All your clothes have been folded Marie Kondo style and any that never “sparked joy” are now in bags waiting for the charity shops to reopen. You have now trodden the paths of the same few walks around your house so many times that you are confident you could walk them blindfolded. That trick shot/dance routine that took hours to perfect has now gone viral on Instagram/Tiktok. Now what? After all, there are only so many Netflix series you can binge and workout routines you can do from your couch.
Can I encourage you not to waste your lockdown?
While the world will tell you that now is the time to invest in all the ways that will make you happier and richer and healthier, the Bible has a slightly different perspective. 2 Peter 1:5-8 encourages believers, in light of the power of God that is at work within each of us, to “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now, while we grow in these Christ-like qualities together, it is certainly true that we can continue to grow in our faith during this time apart. And it is as we make every effort to do so, that we become even more effective and fruitful.
Here are six practical suggestions to help you make the most of your lockdown and grow in your faith:
- Read. Read the Bible. Let’s be honest, we have all, at least once, excused our lack of regular Bible reading on a lack of time. Well, with that old chestnut gone, pick up your Bible and start to read. And don’t just read it, study it. If you are not sure where to start then I recommend One-to-One Bible Reading by David Helm (it was one of our books of the month last year). In Part II of the book, there are suggested reading plans and good questions to ask of any text to help you get to the heart of passage. Read good Christian books too. Pilgrim’s Progress is a good place to start (see Tim’s blog from last week for more recommendations). Share what you have read with others in your family too.
- Listen. If reading is not for you then why not try listening to the Bible being read. Or download the audio book version of the books Tim recommended. There are countless apps and websites that can help you listen as well as good podcasts to subscribe to (e.g. Ask Pastor John). Why not go on the church website and catch up on missed sermons? You can even catch up on lectures and sermons from the Faith Mission. https://faithmission.org/sermons/ As with anything outside of the Bible, always be Berean (Acts 17:11) and read/listen discerningly.
- Pray. Look back on your life before lockdown. How much of your time was spent on your knees in prayer? When we do get to heaven and see all the answers to our prayers, we will not regret praying too much. We will only wish we had prayed more! Now is your chance to pray more. Pray for our church family (the weekly prayer list sent out every Saturday is invaluable for helping us pray for each other). Pray for your house group. Pray for our nation. Pray for your daily bread. Pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Pray for those in your life who do not yet know Jesus. Why not commit to spending just 20 mins in prayer each day? Imagine how many people you could pray for over this lockdown!
- Learn. It is great to learn a new language or a new skill, but it will be more profitable to your soul to learn more about God. So why not put down Duolingo for now and pick up Rock Solid: 12 gospel truths to live by. This book works through 12 basic truths (or doctrines) that are essential to the Christian faith. Very accessible and easy to follow. It even has a short Bible study at the end of each chapter. If you are looking for something a bit more advanced, then you can’t go wrong with J.I. Packer’s Concise Theology. Still not keen on reading? No worries. Go on YouTube and watch the Bible Project who have short videos walking through books and themes of the Bible. Or if you really fancy working through a course, then all of the teaching series from Ligonier Ministries are now available for free. https://www.ligonier.org/blog/all-teaching-series-now-free-stream/
- Serve. Pick up the phone and call someone. Call someone who is isolating by themselves and encourage them by reminding them that you care. Why not help those in need with small acts of kindness? It has been wonderful to learn of people leaving pints of milk and home baking on people’s doorsteps. I even know of someone who opened their front door to a full Easter Sunday roast dinner! Why not get a quiz going over Zoom or a playdate over Facetime for the kids? These small, loving acts of connecting with others will go a long way.
- Share. Share your own story of how Jesus changed your life. Scary thought I know, but we are currently living through a unique period of time where people are being confronted with their own mortality every day. They even have the time to explore their big questions about life and death. Don’t waste it! Get your phone out and record your story and share it on your social media. Who knows what may come of it. Don’t forget to use the #JesusChangedMyLife and tag our Facebook page (@musselburghbaptistchurch). Click here for more details.
These weeks of lockdown can be tough and very isolating. I certainly do not want to belittle the life and death crisis that we are in. But I do believe that it is doubtful we will ever get this much spare time again to really invest in our spiritual life. Let’s not waste it. Let’s use this time to continue grow in Christ-likeness so that we will remain effective and fruitful in our knowledge of our risen, Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For one glorious day, we will see Him face-to-face and receive a rich welcome into His eternal Kingdom.