We can emerge from the coronavirus pandemic with a healthier relationship with time, if we stay focused on wonder. This pandemic has interrupted our lives in unprecedented ways. We’ve all felt the pain of seeing our plans slip away. However, when we respond to interruptions by seeking God's presence and purpose, we can see the opportunities that those interruptions offer us.
Slowing down has given us a valuable gift: A greater ability to perceive the wonder around us. Many of us are doing just that. We’re spending time with God in prayer and meditation. We’re waking up our senses through gardening and cooking. We’re discovering new ways of helping each other as we navigate multiple crises together. In process, wonder is flowing into our lives.
Proverbs 19:21 reminds us, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” When we keep that in mind day by day, we can sense the interruptions that God sometimes sends us, for good purposes. Divine interruptions are different from distractions. Rather than a messy blot on our schedules, they’re intentional opportunities for us to learn, grow, and serve.
In my book Wake Up to Wonder, I tell the story of how my daughter Honor and I rescued an injured bird and encountered wonder as a result. That interruption came on an especially busy day, and I was annoyed by it at first. It was only when I recognized that interruption as a God-given opportunity that I experienced awe.
My pastor often says that the best place to be is “in the yes position to God.” The more we’re willing to say “yes” to the divine interruptions that come our way, the more wonder we can encounter.