Seeing God in the devastation

In the last couple of weeks our world seems to have been turned upside down. As a mother to a daughter with complex health needs and as some deemed at risk because of health complications of my own, our lives have changed in many ways and we are committed to a minimum of 12 week isolation in order to keep ourselves safe. This has changed everything about the way I parent and has made ministry a challenge. However one thing I am really grateful for is that we are still able to get out in the countryside to walk the dogs. Living in a rural context has always been a blessing but even more so at this time, a God always speaks to me in such a profound way through nature and this week was no exception.

Earlier in the week we went to a local forest to walk the dogs and enjoy a picnic in the sunshine. It was a glorious day and as always our little girl slept through most of the walk but made sure she was awake for the picnic, and the dogs loved running through the trees.

We haven’t been on this walk for a couple of months and part way round we were shocked to see that foresting had taken place and all around were signs of destruction where machines had driven through knocking down trees and branches in its wake. It was a scene of utter devastation, the beautiful landscape seemed utterly ruined.

As we stopped and looked at the sight before us, it reminded me of how I was feeling in that moment. Everything in my world looked different, it could easily seem like a picture of devastation. My daughter and I were facing 12 weeks of lock down, we were unable to see my parents and were powerless to help them, I had become a Granny that morning as Paul’s eldest daughter had given birth to a perfect baby boy…but I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold him, we were due to move house in 4 months time but we didn’t know if it would go ahead and if we even had a house to move in to and above all I was concerned for the people around me, my family, my friends, the flock I pastor and for every person in our world

Destruction…..Devastation…Desolation. 

We stood for a while debating why the people had forested the area in such a way, we didn’t understand the method or the purpose. Much like the world I was currently looking at… however I started to notice the beauty that was still in the scene. The trees that were still growing, the birds still in the trees, the sun hitting through the branches at all sorts of beautiful angles. I noticed where trees had been pruned or felled to allow for more growth, how the spacing of the trees allowed for the ones there to flourish. The devastation was still there, but through it I could see the beauty. 

From that point onward, even as the situation in the world became more serious, even as we had to close our building to the public, to protect those in our care, even as it became harder and harder to get the food and medication we needed to keep our family healthy and happy, even as the loneliness set in, I chose to see the beauty in the picture. I still choose to see the beauty amidst the destruction. I choose to see God as work in the midst of the chaos.

In this difficult time I have seen God doing so many beautiful things. I have heard from people in our church community who have been looked after by their neighbours. I have seen people caring for others around them who are feeling alone. I have had beautiful conversations on the phone and have seen the joy on my daughters face as she sees her Nana and Lala on video call!

We don’t know what the future holds but I know who holds the future. As times get tougher and the destruction becomes starker I encourage you to look for signs of God at work in your life. Look for the voice of hope.  If you need reminding of the voice of hope today click the link below. 

The Voice of Hope