As a Fusion worker, I’m used to travelling every other week. It’s what I do. It makes me come alive. I love being out on the road meeting with fiery students, praying over campuses and strategizing with Church leaders to reach the lost. Even the rainiest day in Ormskirk comes to life when I’m sharing good news with students. I came to love the routine of travel, it kept life challenging, fresh and exciting.
But then…
Lockdown. I can no longer travel. I can no longer do what I normally do, how am I going to stay in one place for six weeks? I began the journey. We began the journey. I began to react. We began to react to the news unfolding. I don’t know what you’ve had to leave behind, maybe your job, the privilege to visit family or a beer on a friday night down the local. We began to react and respond.
Some of us became very reactive. We became afraid for our well-being, we didn’t think we’d have enough, checking the news ten times a day, our emotions followed the rollercoaster of unfolding events. Some became paralysed, no longer following their once healthy devotion, exercise and rhythms of community. Others saw the situation differently, as an opportunity, to become proactive. They began to rise to the challenge, thinking of new business ideas, waking up early - they saw doors opening, not closing.
Now, the reality is, most of us fluctuate between being reactive and proactive. But as we consider our relationship with our work, friendships, leisure time, social media - let’s consider, are we being proactive or reactive?
Proactive
Keeping to meet with others online
Focusing on one task at a time
Turning off notifications when focusing on a task
Being present in face to face time with housemates and family
Setting goals and achieving them, daily
Gaining perspective from God’s word
Learning new skills, continuing to create
"Others saw the situation differently, as an opportunity, to become proactive. They began to rise to the challenge, thinking of new business ideas, waking up early - they saw doors opening, not closing."
Reactive
Devouring entertainment and screen time
Mindset of ‘I just want this to end’
Content living in a messy environment
Checking the news again and again
Distracted and ineffective at work
Only exercising when you feel like it
Overeating or drinking too much
Doing the bare minimum
Waiting for the clock to run down each day
"The mindset of wanting lockdown to end ASAP isn’t going to cut it."
You might want to add to this list, you might disagree or agree with these points. Despite what your life looks like at the moment, the decision to be proactive or reactive remains. God is teaching his Church deep truths in this season. In being reactive to our situation, we could miss him! The mindset of wanting lockdown to end ASAP isn’t going to cut it.
This desire speaks to a deeper need, the need for us to know and be known.
Fortunately this need can be met in lockdown if we choose to be proactive. Remember, being proactive for you might be choosing to do nothing for a while, if that’s what you need. Being proactive is about knowing the intentions of your heart and acting on them. For example, if you have the intention to have a productive working day, what needs to be in place for that to happen? If you are feeling the need to connect to a friend, who is that going to be and when will you talk?
We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.
Colossians 1:29-30
Paul writes to the Church at Colossae stating the mandate to present everyone perfect in Christ. Let’s dream for a moment, what is it to be presented perfect in Christ? I’ll let that sit for a moment.
"It's not our energy that helps us be proactive, it’s his. Jesus wants us to be proactive more than we do!"
Paul finishes the chapter by commenting on his part to play. He states he will strive with all His energy working powerfully within him. That’s good news, it’s not our energy that helps us be proactive, it’s his. Jesus wants us to be proactive more than we do! Phew! Perhaps think about how you might discover His energy in being proactive. This will help you stop making excuses, feeling bad or burning out. His energy is grace and truth.
So let’s be proactive in these days. This will come easier for some but notice how you feel after a more proactive day compared to a reactive one. You are created to be proactive. God worked six days and rested one. That’s quite a work to rest ratio! We are like him - we’re made to work more than we are to rest. Take your desire to be proactive in prayer and watch his energy work powerfully within you.
