Honest questions from a hard-pressed teenager

‘Why does God keep testing me, mum?’, my teenage daughter asked (digitally of course, though to be fair, she was at work at the time).

‘Because you’re precious to Him,’ I typed. ‘He tests us to refine us – and He has chosen, in His plan, to test you in these years. He has a plan for you. Pray for wisdom, guidance and peace.’ My answer wasn’t particularly theologically deep; had I not been juggling cooking a family meal and looking after younger children at the time, I might have given a more considered one. But I hope she will remember those meagre words when she’s overwhelmed once again – and, truth be told, I also need to learn the truth of what I replied. Because through the unique challenges we’re all living through, there is perhaps one thing above all else that tests me as a parent during the pandemic, causing much self-examination and self-recrimination.

Setting a good example

That is, the example I set my children – an issue magnified in the context of ‘church’. Our own church building has, save for a few weeks, been closed since March 2020, with services and prayer meetings on Zoom. No one can deny this is a poor substitute for the corporate worship commanded by Scripture.