Could God Use COVID-19 as a Gift In Your Life? | Verbally Processing Podcast Episode 2

could god use covid-19 as a gift in your life

Everything seems terrible right now. People are suffering, losing their jobs, weddings are being canceled, work is being canceled, and maybe they’re not sure how they will make it.

Today I’m speaking to all the moms out there that are unexpectedly homeschooling their kids. I’m talking to all the people that are now working from home or have even been laid off. I’m talking to everyone whose wedding has just been postponed, whose next project has just been put on hold, or had to cancel an event they were working really hard on. I’m talking to photographers, business owners, and creative entrepreneurs.

Could God be using this as a gift in your life? Think about it… Could God be giving you more time together? More time to silence the noise and realize the importance of quiet? For me, I’ve been living in a bubble. I get up, I maybe have a short quiet time, I get to work and think about my plans for the day, then it’s time for dinner, then we have to clean up, then before you know it it’s 10PM and you haven’t even said that much to my husband. What if this is an opportunity for you to reconnect with your spouse or kids?

Maybe God is giving you the opportunity for more self-reflection. And in that self-reflection, what will you find? All of your plans have just been shattered. You might say, “my wedding was just postponed. How could that be a gift?” or “I don’t have a way to pay the bills, how could that be a gift?” Let’s talk about Romans 8:28. For those who love him, God works all things together for our good. But the thing is, our definition of good is not what He’s after. He wants us to look more like Jesus. That’s what good looks like. Maybe God wants to teach you to be kinder to your spouse, kinder to your kids, to just listen for a minute instead of thinking about yourself.

So often, we think of “good” as the outcome that we hope will happen, or that somehow someway God will give is something even better than we could have imagined. But that’s not always it. John Piper said, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may only be aware of three of them.” God is doing so much more than we can see!!

Maybe he’s been trying to get your attention all along. I know he’s doing that to me. He wants me to wake up, to stop wasting time, to refine my calling, to pursue my passion. Could he be doing that for you? Maybe you can think about what you really want in life. What you really want your legacy to be. Maybe you can even think about a career shift to do the most important work.

What if this is an opportunity to pull you away from things that don’t matter? Could you have been clinging too tightly on money? Fame? Success? Your dreams? Your comfortable life? Luke 14:26 says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” That means, we are to love Jesus so much, that all other loves look like hate in comparison. How does your life stack up against that?
Proverbs 23:4-5 says, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” People all over the world are losing money. If you are holding on to money and it goes away, what are you left with? I know I have been clinging too tightly to money. Could that be you right now?

What if this is an opportunity to draw you to Jesus? Money doesn’t matter. Fame Facebook and Instagram don’t matter. We are sold the lie that pursuing our passion will make us happy. But as soon as we advance, there’s more to be advanced. There is a better way.

I know how I would have felt if my wedding had just been canceled. Maybe don’t listen to this now, because maybe it’s too much for you right now. And that’s okay. God works through the pain. He carries us through the pain. Sometimes it’s a slow process.

But when you’re ready, ask yourself, “Do I love Jesus more than your wedding plans?’ Or maybe for you it’s, “Do I love Jesus more than I want to have sex?”

Elisabeth Elliot said this in her book, Keep a Quiet Heart, “Heaven is not here, it’s There. If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next. God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisible Kingdom, where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for.” Could God simply be trying to draw you to him? To pull you away from the things of this world that don’t matter?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

I am using this time to cast a vision, to do what matters, and to love others fully. Will you join me?

Share This Episode

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

FAVORITE POSTS

"Finding What Feels Good in Marketing" is written in purple text on a tan background with a photo of Christi smiling at the camera

Recently on the podcast, I talked about imposter syndrome and what would happen if we were just honest—honest about how we feel in business and in life, and what opportunities that honesty could open for us. Today, I want to continue the trend of getting real and sharing what’s been on my heart about running […]

Listen Now

Web Design Rules Everyone SHould Know is written in purple text on a tan background with a photo of Jannan sitting on a couch with her laptop open

Your website is your digital home base—a place where potential clients can learn about you, trust you, and ultimately take action. But if your site isn’t designed effectively, you could be missing out on opportunities. That’s why I sat down with Jannan Poppen, a branding and web designer for coaches and creatives, to discuss the […]

Listen Now

Opening Up About My Mental Health Crisis of 2024 is written in purple text on a tan background. There is an image of Christi with a soft smile at the camera.

Hello friends, welcome back to The Dream Biz Podcast, the business podcast that helps you build a life and a business that you love. I’m your host, Christi Johnson. I’m a business coach and a photographer dedicated to helping you make your dream biz a reality. Today I want to talk to you about something […]

Listen Now

How Quarterly Planning can help you stay focused and organized with manali sontakke is written in purple text on a tan background with yellow, green, and purple blobs. There is also a photo of Manali smiling at the camera.

Download the Episode Transcript Below ⬇️ Welcome Manali! If you’re like me, you might have a constant stream of ideas and projects you’re excited about. As multi-passionate business owners, it’s a blessing—and sometimes a challenge—to channel all that energy into a clear plan. That’s why I love quarterly planning! Recently on The Dream Biz Podcast, […]

Listen Now

DM to Dollars: Pre-selling Your Offer Before the Big Launch with Angelica Pompy is written in purple text on a tan background. There are colorful green, yellow, and purple doodles on the image along with a photo of Angelica smiling at the camera.

Download the Transcript of this episode Below 👇 DM to Dollars: How to Pre-Sell Your Offer Launching something new? Whether it’s a course, a membership, or a service, one of the most effective ways to make sure your audience is ready to say “yes” the moment you open the doors is through pre-selling your offer. […]

Listen Now

Transform Your Customers into Your Biggest Cheerleaders is written in purple text on a tan background. There are purple and green doodle bubbles with the text "with Madelyn Victoria" and "New Episode", respectively as well as a picture of Madelyn smiling at the camera.

>Download the Transcript of this episode< Building strong client relationships can be one of the most powerful tools for growing your business. In a recent episode of The Dream Biz Podcast, I sat down with Madelyn Victoria, a marketing strategist who specializes in helping small businesses create personalized marketing strategies to attract more clients and […]

Listen Now

GET YOUR 

FREEBIES!

VISION CASTING ULTIMATE WORKBOOK

Struggling to figure out what success looks like to you or want to write a vision and mission statement? Check out this guide!

GET THE GUIDE

THE DREAM BIZ ROADMAP


Overwhelmed with all the steps it takes to start a business? Download the Dream Biz Roadmap! 

DOWNLOAD NOW

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO A HIGH-CONVERTING WEBSITE

Ready to make sure your website is set up to convert? Download the Ultimate Guide to a High Converting Website! 

GET THE GUIDE