Rev. Melinda Giese, Minister of Discipleship and Pastoral Care
Many of you may have noticed that we crossed the six-month mark of this pandemic around September 12. In some ways, those six months have gone by in a blur. Without the regular rhythms of leaving the house for work, school, church, and gatherings with friends and family, time loses some of its meaning. Thankfully, the leaves changing color remind me that time is still moving forward, even when it does not feel like it!
Photo by Ryan Stone on Unsplash
Six months in, we’re also acutely aware that this pandemic is not a sprint. Sprinting is easy – you run as fast as you can for a very short period of time, and then you can rest and do something else. If COVID-19 were a sprint, we’d all be back to our regular lives by now. Instead, we’ve been drafted into a marathon, without any of the usual rewards of t-shirts and prizes.
Having never run a marathon, I’m no expert on the subject. But I do know that unlike a sprint, pacing is key. Runners need to find a pace that’s consistent and steady, a pace they can manage even when they feel tired and worn out. That pace is also going to be much slower than a sprint. Six months into the marathon seems like a good time to ask ourselves, “What is helping me keep going? At this point, what feels unsustainable?”
For myself, I find again and again that small acts of kindness and care – both giving and receiving – are one of the main things that keep me going. A kind note. Shared laughter over the phone. Getting and giving small gifts. Supporting others and feeling supported. None of these small acts change the situation we’re in, but they give me strength for another day. I also believe these small acts of love radiate out in ways beyond what we see, as people continue to pass on the love they receive to others.
Six months in, I also want to encourage you to re-evaluate those parts of your life that feel unsustainable. What could you change in order to get through another six months? Where can you cut back? If you’re struggling, I also encourage you to tell someone else. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, please reach out to either Pastor Cara or myself. Struggling alone is more painful than being able to honestly talk about what you’re going through to someone who will listen and understand.
In the midst of this marathon none of us signed up for, I also encourage you to take these words from Isaiah 40:28-31 to heart:
“Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. God doesn’t grow tired or weary. God’s understanding is beyond human reach, giving power to the tired and reviving the exhausted. Youths will become tired and weary, young men will certainly stumble; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will fly up on wings like eagles; they will run and not be tired; they will walk and not be weary.”
We do not run this race alone. Even in our most exhausted moments, God’s renewing and reviving presence breathes new life into us. This day and always, may we feel the steady, consistent grace of God leading us forward and filling us with the strength we need to continue this marathon.