Thankful in Every Season

As I am writing this, I currently have COVID-19. I have gone this whole pandemic season and my first year in college, covid free. Then, during my last week of classes, during finals week and move-out week, I started developing what I thought was just allergy symptoms.

I went and got tested a few days ago just to make sure, and to my surprise, it came back positive. All of my plans I had for the remainder of the school year were turned upside down. I was now going to have to finish out the school year and take my finals online.

My roommate, Meredith, also tested positive. We were both moved to the quarantine facility that Liberty has set aside for students that test positive. My parents were now going to have to come and move all of my stuff out of my dorm for me.

All in one day, my plans were changed.

I have learned many things in life, but one that I have learned over and over again is to be content/thankful in every season. Life is so unpredictable, and we have to learn to be flexible and go with the flow. I have learned to look on the positive side of situations instead of focusing on everything that went wrong.

This is the secret to not living a miserable life. Yes, we go through many horrible things and trials in this life. I'm not diminishing these things and saying they aren't a big deal. We are allowed to mourn and be sad when things change or get hard.

The true way to become thankful in every season is all about your mindset. We have the ability the choose how we feel and how we let our situations affect us emotionally.

Things that I am thankful for about my situation I'm in right now:

- I made it through the whole school year covid free and healthy (until now haha).

- I got sick while away at school so I didn't get any of my family members or friends back home sick.

- I have a quarantine facility that Liberty has provided for me to stay at.

- I have a mild case of covid. 

- My anxiety is at a good place, so I haven't been anxious about having covid.

- I'm learning how to take care of myself while I am sick since I'm on my own.

- I have amazing parents who are willing to move all of my stuff out of my dorm room for me since I am unable to.

- I'm thankful for the alone and quiet time isolated away from everything.

There are so...many...more reasons for me to be thankful. Yes, my situation stinks, but I am so thankful for the way it's played out. It could have been a lot worse.

Instead of dwelling on everything that went wrong about my situation, I'm focusing on the positive side of things. This helps me to not be miserable emotionally when I'm already sick and trying to recover physically.

I really think having a content and thankful mindset is what is helping me to recover faster physically. I tend to have the mindset of "Well, there's nothing I can do to control this or change this, so I just have to accept the situation I am in and make the most out of it.

It's also good to ask yourself the question, "What is God trying to teach me, show me, or remind me of in this season I am in?" I think the Lord has been reminding me to be content and thankful in every season. He has been putting that phrase in my mind over and over again.

I am reminded of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:12-13, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

God works all things together for good (Rom. 8:28). I know that this is a part of His plan for me because He has allowed it to happen. So, I will trust Him and know that He works all things together for good. I'm thankful for the situation I am in and that it is not much worse.

This is just one small bump in the road in my life and this too shall pass. I'm going to make the most of it even when my plans don't go my way. The Lord wants us to lean on and rely on Him and His plans, not our own. 

We can't go through life on our own. We have to lean on Jesus and allow Him to lead and guide us. He is the only one who can give us the strength and hope to get through whatever trials we may face.

I pray my perspective with how I have been dealing with covid was encouraging to someone today. I know covid is still a very real and scary thing for some people. You may have lost a loved one or friend because of this virus. And for that, I am so sorry. I know that has to be so hard. Lean on God during these times of uncertainty. He will give you the strength to continue on.

-Kayla