There is a time for everything, a season for a period like this

There is a time for everything,
and a season for enduring a period like this:

a time for kindness when everyone is trying their best
a time for patience when everyone’s learning something new
a time for love in the eroding presence of criticism
a time for tolerance when so many feel overwhelmed or inadequate.

a time for compassion where people are depressed
a time for prayer in a season when people are capitulating
a time for encouragement in a season where despair threatens
a time for teamwork in a season when the task is massive.

a time for hope in a season when everything looks forlorn
a time for acceptance in a season when people are confused and angry
a time for boundaries in a season where people are expecting too much
a time for discussion in a season when people may be making assumptions.

a time for connection where people may be feeling lonelier than ever
a time for clarifying priorities where confusion seems to be reigning
a time to slow down in a season that rages on at frenetic pace
a time to reach out to the vulnerable where many will lose hope.

a time to take stock in a season where building takes on fresh meaning
a time to establish peace instead of push for growth
a time to gain clarity for decisions where the path may prove clear
a time to delay a decision in a season where there is no way forward.

a time to find release in laughter to relieve anxiety
a time to mourn in a season where sorrow cannot be denied
a time to go gently amid a season of turbulence
a time to be gentle with others.

a time to search for a vaccine in a season where there’s no time to waste
a time to give up on false hopes in a season seemingly full of them
a time to come back to trusting God where nothing else will work
a time to reinforce commitments in a season where effort is needed.

a time for trust in a season when it’s easy to be cynical
a time to be cautious in a season where safety’s paramount
a time for distance to stop the spread of a contagion
a time for a benefit of the doubt when people may be scared.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for enduring a period like this.

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash