Thankful During Covid-19

And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted. Acts 20:12

Like any job, working the ER had its challenges about which I regularly complained. When I lost that job due to my addiction, I was out of work for a few months, during which time I was desperate to return to work. I promised myself that if I ever got my career back I’d never complain about working again.

Now, in the clinic, Covid-19 has severely challenged my plan of no whining. I can’t say that I’m overworked, but for the last 8 months, this virus has turned my workplace upside down. Though I thank God for my job every day, I’m afraid I’ve broken my promise many times. Like everyone, I’m sick of Covid, but Covid doesn’t care and it’s not going away anytime soon. So, I’ve been a little whiny, longing for the good old days that we didn’t realize were so good until everything changed.

Two days ago though, I got to meet my son at the airport. He’s been away at college since August and we’ve missed him terribly. Now, our family is all together again. I enjoyed it when we were all home previously, but now that he’s been gone and is back, I’m that much more thankful for our time together. Often, it takes radical change or loss to make us grateful for what we had.

This was the case in today’s passage. In the story, while Paul preached late into the night, a young man fell asleep, falling out a third story window to his death. Paul went down and revived him and so, he was able to go home with a grateful family. Had nothing happened that evening, there would have been no celebration. However, when the young man was lost – even for a very short period of time – and then returned, his family rejoiced.

The lesson is that I shouldn’t wait for loss to choose gratitude. Covid-19 is maddening. I may have reasons to complain. I also have a multitude of reasons to be thankful though. I have a job. I have a family. I have my faith and I’m in recovery. It was just a few short years ago that I didn’t have those things. I also know those who have recently lost some of those things. So, today, despite Covid-19, I will do my job and be thankful for it. Then, I will go home and be grateful for the time I have with my family.