What I Learned in 2020 by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

2020 seems like something out of a science fiction movie and I’m still asking myself Was it all a bad dream? Will I wake up soon?

But we all know the Global Pandemic, now knocking on 2021’s door, is real. And despite the severity of COVID-19, it still provided many lessons, life changes and revelations about what is important. As I reflect on how this pandemic affected me, I am praying you will take the time to do some deep thinking today about how your life changed through one of our world’s greatest trials.

I learned we are not in control. While I’ve known this for a long time, it was eye-opening to see that the entire world can be taken down. Ironically, as I end my year in the Chronological Bible, I am finishing in Revelation. Revelation is a book in the Bible about the end of the world as we know it. After experiencing this worldwide viral outbreak, Revelation seems even more fathomable.

I learned I really love people. I miss getting together with friends at lunch. I am longing for our church small group to meet in person again. For many months, our church only met online and I felt a void in my life without corporate worship. God designed people for community and when you are extroverted, the isolation is even more difficult.

I found out God shifts our direction while in isolation. If it had not been for the pandemic, I would not have written an apologetics book about Jewish roots designed to reach my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would never have entered school again to work on a Doctor of Ministry.

I would not be teaching online to the Pakistani people and seeing scores of Pakistanis give their lives to Christ. I would have been too busy working in our Pearls of Promise ministry to see this detour. Often, it is in the silence that God speaks the loudest.

I realized I needed to slow down. I had been moving so fast speaking, writing and planning and participating in events, that I did not realize I was exhausted. I needed a hard stop to refuel and spend some downtime at home. This was a type of reset in my life.

I had to make a choice—will I be faithful or fearful? Before the pandemic, I was slightly claustrophobic. I did not like anything over my nose, so wearing a mask was my worst nightmare. However, I learned that through prayer, I could do it. And that’s the way it is for every aspect of what is going on. Every morning, I ask God for the strength to get through the day, and I pray for His protection over my family from COVID-19. So far, we have all escaped the wrath of this virus.

God does his most life-changing work during the worst of situations.

Paul wrote most of the Bible while in chains. The apostle John received his revelation about end times in exile. The Israelites witnessed the greatest power and presence of God while in the wilderness.

And I believe as we continue to seek His help during this global pandemic, He will continue to perform a magnificent work in all of us believers as well.