Looking back, COVID-19 dominated the news and overturned many of our plans for the year that ended at midnight. But that was not all that was going on. As of Wednesday there have been 154 deaths from COVID in Saskatchewan. To the end of November there have been 323 deaths from drug overdoses. Those deaths have been more traumatic for families and relationships.

For many of us the year has been pretty ordinary, with just a few inconveniences. People have died from many other causes, babies have been born, couples have married, We have learned to wear masks, use hand sanitizer and go on with out daily lives. Families have spent more time together than they used to and learned to avoid getting too close to others in public places.

This year is going to be different. But lets not be too sure we know in what ways it will be different. That should be one lesson to carry with us from 2020. We have learned that we are more flexible than we thought; we can bend, and not break. Have we become flexible enough that God can use us?

There are hurting people all around us; the number of deaths from drug overdoses is just one symptom of that. Many people wish their lives could be different. Being flexible isn’t the whole solution to being able to offer hope to those who feel their lives are hopeless. First we need to listen. We need to be able to discern the hurt in the hearts of people around us, to recognize that anger, bitterness and despair are only noise to cover the real hurt.

May 2021 be a year when God teaches us how to hear.