Coronavirus crossroads: Someday has arrived

Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point — a great crossroads in our life.

Oswald Chambers.

We are at a crossroads. It is a forced crossroads, to be sure. It is not one of our making, but this crossroads is unlike any other we have encountered before.

The sentiment among experts is that we will not return to the same ol’, same ol’ situation that we left just a few short weeks ago. Globally, economically, medically, politically and perhaps even more importantly, emotionally and mentally, things have changed. For this generation, this is our Great Depression, our Kennedy Assassination, our World War II, our Vietnam, our Civil War. Each of those life-changing events wrought great transformation for those generations and this is no different.

For you, it will be the story you tell your children and grandchildren. “I remember when…”

For some of you, that may be great, “I’m ready to start over”! For others, it may be frightening or intimidating.

But be certain of this though: This coronavirus event has stopped you dead in your tracks. You will never have a better opportunity to review, evaluate and make changes. Whether that means your job, your dream, your business, your location, your kids/family, your circle of friends, your hobbies, your finances, your attitude, it simply doesn’t matter.

There isn’t one area of your life that is excluded from this list.

And, yes, here is the scary part: You can either begin to take action now and plan for the new road ahead, or risk being behind the curve in an entirely new world once the crisis ends. Now more than ever, it’s your opportunity to reboot your life!

If there is baggage to shed, do it. If you need to adjust your finances, do it. If you need to forgive someone or settle a long-standing dispute with a family member or friend, now’s the time. If you need to evaluate your inner circle, get to it.

You’ve been waiting for someday. Well, someday is here.

But you get a do-over now, a mulligan, another chance to make repairs, adjustments and get your life humming on all cylinders.

Don’t listen to all the voices that want you to do this, or tell you to go in that direction. Sure, you can search for counsel and seek suggestions, but it’s time to find out for yourself. Indeed, you have the rest of your life ahead. And, for the most part, you’re starting with a clean page. So, start writing the rest of your story, and start now moving in the direction you want it to end.

And, while we’re at it, there’s no sense in looking behind you. No going back, it’s an absolute dead end.

And, just know this too. You can do away with the usual fallbacks. When we encounter fear or the unknown, we always go back to the familiar. That’s usually a downfall and leaves us right back where we started. In a rut, which is only a grave with both ends kicked out.

You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.

C.S. Lewis.

No, it’s not easy, but you’ve got the time, you’ve got the incentive and you’ve got the perspective. Take action, and plan. Be ready when we come out of the coronavirus tunnel.

Adversity is a crossroads that makes a person choose one of two paths: character or compromise. Every time he chooses character, he becomes stronger, even if that choice brings negative consequences.

John Maxwell.