A Pause

1.30.2026

This past week has really made me pause.

No power.

No warm food.

No hot showers.

And if I’m being honest, I didn’t always handle it well. (At times I acted a little like a spoiled brat.)

But I’ve also been watching people — not just my neighbors, but the public as a whole.

I’ve seen a lot of grace.

People praying for the linemen.

People delivering groceries, hot meals, generators.

People opening their homes and helping others find warm places to stay.

I’ve seen Jesus reflected in people.

And I’ve also seen the opposite.

Entitlement.

Accusations.

Anger.

Meanness.

And it should cause all of us to pause and look in the mirror — not to point fingers — but to ask ourselves:

How did I respond when I was uncomfortable?

For most of us, this was a few days. Some longer. (Mine is actually out again as I write this — sitting in the dark, lol.) But still… this was inconvenience, not survival.

That’s what keeps bringing me back to Scripture.

When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He was displeased with how they responded when they lacked water. They complained.

“Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” (Exodus 17:2)

When they lacked food — even before they were truly starving — they complained again. And God said plainly that He was testing them.

“I will rain down bread from heaven for you… In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.” (Exodus 16:4)

The test wasn’t just hunger.

It was trust.

Would they trust Him daily?

Would they resist hoarding?

Would they obey even when provision didn’t make sense?

Would they rest on the Sabbath believing God would provide enough?

And it took them a while to learn.

Scripture warns us that there is another season of testing and tribulation coming. And in His mercy, God often allows smaller tests before bigger ones — not to destroy us, but to prepare us.

Preparation matters to God.

Examples matter.

History matters.

Our responses matter.

Buying and selling includes food.

Provision includes electricity.

Trust will be tested again.

So if you’re like me and find yourself with a little extra time today, maybe take a moment to read Exodus. Read Revelation. And honestly ask yourself — not in fear, but in humility — who or what you are trusting when comfort is stripped away.

Because sometimes we don’t realize how much we rely on systems… until they flicker off.

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“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)