Faith can thrive in period of vulnerability and uncertainty

For years, our politicians, schooling and advertising slogans have been telling us that we are entitled to more, to progress, expansion, personal fulfilment.

‘Just Do It’ is the modern mantra, yet this year’s message has been ‘stay at home’.

It is not just that some things have been limited, they have been ruthlessly eliminated from our lives in the short term.

That is hard to stomach.

Even though we know it is for the best, this sudden shift can make us resentful and even resistant.

It feels like our freedom is curtailed and, after all, don’t we deserve to be free and limitless?

In fact, our everyday experience is to live with particular limits, perhaps in our health, or livelihood, or finances.

Usually we adapt, accepting you can’t always get what you want.

What if, instead, we choose to embrace this season of severe limitation?

As a boy, I played a Football Manager computer game, aiming to steer my team to promotion amid set-backs like injuries and defeats.

One day I hacked the code and gave myself unlimited cash – now I could buy any player I liked.

To my surprise, it spoilt the game for me. It took away the struggle to compete against the odds. It took out the meaning of the game.

I thought if I had no limits I would be fulfilled. I discovered the opposite.

Today, we are living in the heart of the Covid-19 crisis.

We live in limbo, in uncertainty and vulnerability. That is the space in which faith may thrive.

I have found it is in this ‘in-between’ space, the place of dependency, that we may unexpectedly collide with the goodness of God and of others.

We should embrace this chance to think deeply about our lives, loves, purpose, and future.

To make the space. To be honest about the state of our souls, and to look to God for guidance.

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living…be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27)

The Reverend Nick Allan is minister of The Well Sheffield Church, Ecclesall Road, Sharrow – see wellsheffield.com​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​