It is possible to rest in God when you’re going through a crisis. Jesus is still with us, even when we feel lonely and fearful. But how do we continue to trust in God; our source of rest? There is no quick fix for a global health crisis, nor for someone who has lost the sense of God’s presence.
The lights of theatres are switched off all because of the COVID crisis. Our surroundings have grown quieter; the inactivity is unsettling for those who are used to noise.
Although it may appear on the face of it as a threat, this quiet is also an invitation. Blaise Pascal once wrote, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” We have a chance to accept Jesus’ invitation, which is for all, “when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matt. 6:6).
We are used to focusing our attention only on ourselves. It slips our minds that we are dependent on our Creator for the resources we have. We are the temple of God and the Spirit of God lives in us” (1 Cor. 3:16) and that the love of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). When we sit by ourselves, embracing the silence, we will be able to hear the still small loving voice of God ministering to us at the deepest needs of our life.
Rather than filling the time and silence with extra hours on TV, let us embrace the silence and endeavour to be aware and attentively listen to the Holy Spirit enlightening our hearts and minds with the Word of God. If we accept Jesus’ invitation to pray, we would discover greater peace, joy, and gratitude in our days, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Intimacy with Jesus fills us with faith, hope and love, which is a sure foundation of rest.