Benefits of Quarancrapđź’©
I have these two peace lilies I bought three years ago. I bought them on the same day so I call them “brothers” and the one brother has always been more robust. He grows thicker and taller than his “little brother.”
But I was so happy to notice this morning that the little guy has a flower blooming! I love seeing his growth. I recently fertilized all my plants, and it’s clearly working! And then I thought of how God must feel seeing His children blooming and developing right now. Because our current circumstances might be total 💩 but that’s how *fertilizer* works! May it produce some deep spiritual growth in me—things that need to change and grow and blossom, for His glory!
This weekend we were poised to “reopen” to some extent here in Spain (although we have a long way to go before life will go back to normal) but then….just as we were all making plans to return to work in the actual office, and life where we could decide for ourselves what time we walk out of our homes, the government declared two more weeks of quarantine! We entered this “lockdown” in Madrid —one of the strictest in the world—54 days ago. Come Monday, we will have been in lockdown already 8 full weeks, and now we’ll have two more (at least). There is discussion of “phases,” and “deescalation,” and “reopening” but right now, they just keep piling more on.
But over the last day or two, I’ve had several conversation with friends, in which we’ve described the process we’ve gone through emotionally and mentally, seeing growth in ourselves because of these circumstances. Not “in spite of” but literally BECAUSE OF. People speak of valuing their freedom more, noticing the gifts we used to ignore, spending more time with what matters (relationships!) and less time in all the periphery. It’s helped people see their marriages in a new light; it’s brought families together, even in reconciliation!
But the quarantine has also revealed in us things that need to change. In my own life, I’ve found myself reacting to the quarantine with anger. I feel powerless. I have no control whatsoever of my own life or routine, and I became so angry about it a few weeks back that I spent a whole day in the kitchen “rage-cooking.” But as I fumed and chopped vegetables mercilessly, I felt the Holy Spirit reveal to me how angry I’d become, as well as how devastating it was for my soul. So I went into the Word of God, I spent hours in worship that week—releasing all the emotions I could to the Lord. I even joined a virtual support group for “anger management” that God provided almost immediately after I confessed these feelings out loud! And for the past week or two, I’ve been processing this anger with the Lord and with other believers.
Now, back to the benefits - YES, BENEFITS- of what we’re all experiencing. Right now, we’re going through turmoil and trouble, and well…I call it “quarancrap” to my roommate because I like making up words. But the benefit of 💩 is that it makes great fertilizer! Homeowners this time of year are literally dumping piles of it right onto their lawns and gardens. That’s right - dumping PILES of it! That’s kind of how quarantine feels here where we keep getting hit with another two-week extension of this lockdown!
May I remind you of II Corinthians 4 —my all-time favorite chapter of the Bible? Paul was getting overloaded, too. He was facing oppression, perplexing struggles, and even persecution, but he saw the results it produced! He writes of life, grace, thanksgiving, and glory!
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are experiencing 💩[quarantine version], inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.