I had the opportunity to treat my parents to a Disney World family vacation in April 2019. When we were little, my dad would always stay behind working while we vacationed, so this was his first time visiting. I was so excited to show him around the most magical place on earth. My sister and I planned for months to strategize the best use of our Fast Passes and extra park Magic Hours. While my dad was very happy to spend this time with us, he daily made this statement as we walked through the parks. “Don’t be jealous, Jesus. I still love you the most and I still would rather be with you than at Disney World. I love you, Jesus.” I remember thinking, “Oh that’s cute. I love the Lord, but I will take Disney all day”.  I didn’t know then that those words would become a lifeline to me. 

Nine months ago, I moved to Singapore on a work assignment, which by the way boasts the longest direct flight in the world at 19 hours when departing from New Jersey. I was rather nervous about the distance, but I found comfort in telling myself that I could get home within 2 days if I needed to. I wanted to move to Singapore to grow in my career and knowledge of different cultures. My schedule was packed with trips to India, Korea, Japan, China, and all-over Southeast Asia. Well, here I am 19 hours away in a lockdown due to COVID-19 where it’s not really safe to travel home and I am forbidden from visiting with even one other person – never mind bop around Asia. 

On some days, the anxiety and grief are so overwhelming that I cry uncontrollably and feel like I can’t breathe. As I am sure it did for many, the coronavirus and its fallout has really shaken me up. Recently, I was sobbing on my couch and my dad’s words resounded in my heart. “I love Disney World, but not more than you, Jesus”.  My dad had it right all along. The Apostle Paul in Philippians, which he wrote while in prison, encourages us to learn how to be content no matter our situation. It would be natural to curl up in a ball and feel hopeless, but what if I could use this time to learn to find contentment, not from ticking countries off of my bucket list, shopping, or even visiting Mickey, but from my relationship with Jesus. 

Read the Word 

The best place I to turn when I feel despondent and helpless is the word of God. Psalms 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light unto my path.” In some ways, this verse reminds me of a nightlight. Not much changes about a spooky situation when you find yourself walking down a long hallway, but a nightlight gives you just that bit of confidence because you can see a little more clearly. When I open my Bible, it becomes my nightlight providing me with clarity. I reflect on the joy that the Church had, though they experienced suffering. They fixed their eyes on Jesus knowing that no matter how the situation turned out, He would be their strength. While I am in suffering, I can still have hope and joy because Jesus is with me, as he was with them. He is also with you! I am encouraged by Jesus’ words in John 16:33, “In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart. I have overcome the world.” The knowledge that my Savior is with me, even if He never did another thing for me, is enough. 

Pray. Really! 

It is hard to explain how much closer I feel to God in my greatest time of need and how much more fervently I pray. Psalm 34:18 says, “He is close to the broken hearted”. I know the Lord hears me when I cry out to Him.  Christine Caine recently posted this on prayer, “don’t just think about prayer. Don’t just talk about prayer… Actually, open your mouth and pray.” It needed to be said. I know I have wasted so much time on the mindless Instagram scroll and the Netflix binge. I decided those empty activities would not define this season for me. Prayer would. Specifically, I asked my dear friend to be my prayer buddy. We Facetime daily at 6am and 6pm without fail. It has been so helpful to bookend my day this way and take time to bring my concerns to the Lord in prayer instead of only worrying about them. Your prayers are powerful! Don’t let the feelings of overwhelm and fear silence or paralyze you. The Lord loves to talk with you and hear from you. 

Bless Others 

By taking the time to invest in my relationship with the Lord, I was able to come to a greater place of peace and balance. This enabled me to take my eyes off of myself and look out at the immense need in the world that was growing exponentially due to the coronavirus. God has called us to do good and I cannot in good conscience ignore the cries of my brothers and sisters. I was able to virtually volunteer my time with two nonprofit organizations that desperately needed help and business expertise. Seeing how my contributions impacted the organization brought me immense joy. If you find yourself with the privilege of having time and talents to contribute, consider yourself blessed. Perhaps you are a speaker, singer, marketing professional, accountant; you name it. People are looking for the solutions that you can contribute especially in times like these. Don’t shrink back. You were born for this time and season. 

Well, it was certainly a surprise to see how much my contentment grew during what could have been a stifling quarantine. Is it still scary? Do I have tremendous grief? Do I wish it would all be over tomorrow? YES! But since I have no control over the external factors, I remind myself that my home is in Jesus. The silver lining amongst the chaos of the coronavirus is that it stripped away much of the trivial things I busied myself with. Ultimately, we were created to have relationship with God through Jesus. My purpose, my joy, my life’s meaning is found in Him. The main thing I intend to take with me to the other side of COVID-19 is my deep realization that no vacation, promotion, or other temporary high can fill my soul like a moment with Jesus can. Now, I echo my father, “Jesus, I love you the most.” 

Guest Writer: Elisa Torres is a marketing professional, philanthropist, and speaker with an unwavering desire to help women be confident throughout their careers because our collective voices and ideas need to be heard.

www.elisaspeaks.com