There is a pond off of a highway near where I live that has had a beaver lodge in it for years. This year the water level is getting lower and lower to where the pond is almost completely dried up.  When I first noticed the change I wondered why it was happening. One thought was there might be a beaver dam that had helped create the pond and is not functioning now.   Had it been damaged or had the beavers intentionally take it apart?  It makes me sad to see this water going down and the idea of these beavers possibly not living there anymore.  Was it for the best or not for their habitat to change?

It makes me think of my life and when my own habitat has changed, intentionally or unintentionally.  I’ve had a hand in building some of the dams in my life while others were outside of my control. Regardless of how they got there these dams had a role in creating the habitat I lived in at the time. Some were necessary for protection and to create a thriving environment of growth. Others were made due to fear or anger or lack of faith. One thing leads to another and the dam was broken, whether by choice or not.  Now what do I do? I am at a crossroads of living a life that is really different.  Do I stay in the dried up land or do I move? 

This COVID pandemic is kind of like that. It has broken the dam on what many of us consider our normal habitat and is making us re-examine and consider living differently.  Will our choices be made out of fear or faith? Will we try and hold onto what we know and with what we are comfortable or we will be open for new possibilities? One direction is dependent on us while the other is dependent on Christ.

For me, I’ve done both. I’ve made survival decisions to build a dam or break one up based strictly on what I thought was best, on what I wanted, on trying to maintain that with which I was comfortable. To tell you the truth those attempts didn’t go so well. Oh I may have been successful in rebuilding my dam or breaking it up but the result wasn’t a sense of peace, of joy, of purpose fulfilled. Other times I have sat with Jesus for a bit, mulling it over and chatting about what should be done. Should I take that job or should I resign from that one? Should I move here or there? Should I try doing this or that? Should I say no because that is easiest or should I say yes and expand my comfort zone? While Jesus’s way hasn’t always been 100% clear I have found applying my heart honestly to His will ALWAYS yields perfect peace, joy, and fulfilled purpose.

Is God going to work through this COVID pandemic to move us to more fertile and life sustaining land?  Are we going to find new appreciation for that which we have and rebuild what may need to be rebuilt? I don’t have that answer, but I can tell you this: I sure am excited to see what Jesus does!

“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:15