Happy New Year!
Looking for the ‘Happy’ in this New Year 2021? Yet again – another lock down! The roads appear busier than tier 1, having freedom to wear masks or not, being bored or confused with the interpretations of sanctions, dodging or defending catapulting conspiracies, unable to see and enjoy love ones while facing and preparing the realities and depth this pandemic has got to.
What are the possibilities in getting through these unfamiliar times?
Being in this current lockdown is highlighting that we all have different levels of coping, with family, finances, isolation, mental well-being etc. We have to dig deep into our resources of opportunities of how to sustain this way of being. How do you wish to utilise your findings?
I am reminded of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30) where each of the three staff members was given differing amount of funds. What I found encouraging was that the scripture doesn’t give any background information on the staff members, their roles or what the funds were spent on.
It mentioned they were allocated the talents according to their ‘ability’. Indicating, God knows your ability to overcome and succeed. He has given each of us enough talents to ensure we will cope, despite what we may be facing or going through.
Again we are all in this unconventional setting of living with different amounts of coping methods, during this next stage of uncertainties
- What is your ability to cope?
- How much talents are you given?
- Can you see how to utilise your allotted amount?
Remember – All were given the same time, the same trust and the same freedom of choice on how and what to with their amounts.
The first person made 100% profit on his 5 talents bringing in a total of 10 talents.
The second person also made a profit of 100% on their 2 talents making a total of 4 talents.
Now the third person had the least amount of 1 talent, buried it and made a profit of excuses and not even possibilities to invest it.
God is in the business of multiplying, everything He created belongs to a system that can replenish itself.
Although I didn’t like the end of this parable it reflects those who live with regrets and bitterness. This may take the form of only seeing the profits and prosperity of others, not acknowledging how their colleagues saw possibilities to utilising what they have, with resentment. Or live a life that was to design to grow, reproduce and enlarge the talents given, yet…do nothing.
I also wondered why the extra talent was given to the first person and not the second one who had less but still worked. The talent was given to the one who had the most funds, worked so much harder to achieve the profits. God gave according their abilities; He knew who would work intentionally, who would work to have something. But not to have anything creates a blockage and stagnation in His system of our design and our well-being.
However, not doing anything with your talent does not have to end like the third person during lockdown. Being unable to go out of our homes in the custom we were once familiar with, must not limit our search for our talent that we buried!
Watching the news recently and seeing restaurants, no longer able to operate fully, now providing food for frontline workers with taxis and locals doing the deliveries. What an opportunity for you to see God’s talents at work within your community. Seeing all those involved working in a system that ultimately produces a chain reaction of positive well-being for all involved.
Can’t think of anything to do with your buried talent?
Try turning your talent into time and become a volunteer. Here are a few links to organisations that will help you to get digging for your talent.
My community
Locality
https://locality.org.uk/services-tools/support-for-community-organisations/
Organisations are aware of this Biblical principle of multiplying and invest their talents into charities as ‘donations’!
With companies facing closures and redundancies, you too may be in need of help, use your talent to find the support that is within the system of possibilities. Here the government too, offer support for those with businesses.
If you feel that you are unable to do any of the above, my encouragement to you would be to use your talent to being thankful, try finding ways to see how to be thankful. This does not cost money or even an excuse, just your ability to think.
This New Year may we all see the possibilities to being thankful, the ability to seek how to help others or to receive help. This mission is possible.
Here are some helpful tips
https://www.actionforhappiness.org/
