Are you on pins and needles with everything that is going on in this world? If so, you are not alone. There are so many things changing right now in so many areas of our lives. School children are not going back to school, some folks are not able to work, families are not being able to see each other, and the list goes on.  And if you’re working, it might mean that you’re balancing supervision of children’s learning, family time, and work commitments, just to name a few. This is a challenging time, but is it possible that this can also be a good thing? I believe it can be a positive experience if we make the most of family time and commit our care unto Jesus.

For me, physical distancing during the coronavirus means more time at home with my family. I’m grateful because my two daughters and their families live close by and all of our families are safe. Schools and stores are closed, but I’m not going to worry. I believe God is giving us an opportunity to spend more time with family than we normally would have during a regular day. We are learning to stay connected with others in creative ways, using routines to support family health and wellbeing, and trying to manage family conflict in positive ways. This pandemic is new to us and not something that we have ever experienced before. Yet, it is teaching us how important people and family are.

Here are some things that we are doing together to help create stronger bonds that could work for you. For example, we clean and do chores with each other and help with our grandkids’ homework online. We spend time reading together and doing projects outside. Simply put, we are enjoying each other’s company. We don’t have to put the coronavirus crisis in a totally negative light for our families. Help them look for the best in these circumstances, a time for families to grow closer to each other.

With that said, what do we do when fear and anxiety arise? I’m a pastor, but I also serve in social support, as an advisor and someone to lean on for anxious members. When asked difficult questions, I lead them to Jesus and His written word. Lessons therein assure members and families that God will never leave them nor forsake His own. They teach us that genuine faith dares to trust God in times of difficulty and does not look at circumstances, but looks solely to God. Use this time to draw nearer to God as well as to each other. Likewise, teach or remind your children of the wonderful stories God has given to show that He is able to hold them during every storm of life, even COVID-19.

With the advisory to continue practicing social distancing and the possibilities of mandatory quarantine looming, you may be struggling to find normalcy or hope in the current situation, faced with seemingly exponential time on your hands. I encourage families to find space inside their homes and to worship God intimately and individually. Invigorate your spiritual walk as a family by engaging in fervent prayer and reading God’s Word on a daily basis. Then be reminded as Colossians 1:17 says that, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Jesus is both the Creator and the Sustainer of our world. We can trust in Him!