I hear so much about how everyone is glad to have 2020 over and how they’re done with the year. Yes, this year has been long, but I still can’t believe it’s over. I feel like we lived in a murky vacuum of time and as much as I know 2020 happened, it still doesn’t really feel like that year had much to it — except for loss. I’ve experienced loss in my family, I’ve had close friends experience loss, and I’ve had far away friends lose those they love, as well. It’s been a hard year.

On top of the hard year of loss, we’ve also lost school for our senior. He’s been online for the entire first semester and will most likely be online until March at this point. We’ve lost in-person church as we’ve known it. We’ve been able to get together online, but we’ve not had hugs and been able to look into a “live” face on a regular basis. We started working from home and everything became online overnight.

As I continued to think about the many facets of loss we had in 2020, I realized there were several things I learned from 2020.

1. My relationship with God is not determined by in-person church. I’ve continued with my personal devotions and my quiet time with God. My relationship with Him didn’t stop because of a pandemic. I’ve been able to still worship with my church family online every Sunday.
2. Worshipping with others does help in your spiritual walk. I know my relationship with God is not determined by in-person church, but gathering together does help. I learn from others and others help me learn. I miss that interaction. Things are often harder alone than together.
3. Loss, especially that of death, is hard in general. Loss while being alone is really hard. This loss doesn’t really matter if it’s your person who is lost or someone else’s person. In either case, people can’t be there for you and you can’t be there for them.
4. I’m a hugger. For too long in my younger years, I allowed the hurts of the past to influence letting others get too close to me. This was something I started to realize after Brian’s diagnosis, but it was confirmed during this time away from others. I miss showing people I care by wrapping my arms around them.
5. Prayer matters. Okay, okay. I already knew this, yes, but I came to realize that prayer was the main way I could show love for others while being isolated from them. Never tell others you’ll be praying for them if you don’t intend to follow through with that promise. Prayer is personal and something we must commit to doing.

So, how will 2021 go for us? I really don’t know. I know I’m praying for God to be glorified through this pandemic. I’m praying that fellow Christians can be the light the world needs to see. I’m praying that those who do not know God can somehow see the light of others and feel His love and comfort. I’m praying that I will stay committed during the dark days of waiting because in that waiting I’m preparing for a new day. I want to be ready for the new day! May this last year of waiting prove fruitful in this new year of unknowns.

What lessons have your learned from 2020? How will these help you move forward in 2021?

© 2021 Susan M. Sims

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