My wife recently shared with me an article about some amazing things that people accomplished while in seclusion:

• According to a Shakespeare historian and Columbia University professor James Shapiro, the Bard wrote three of his classics, King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra, in 1606, the year a massive outbreak of the plague returned to England.

• In 1665, Sir Isaac Newton was in his early 20s when he was sent home from Cambridge as the Great Plague hit London. According to the Washington Post, the year 1666, which he spent away from Cambridge at his estate, was his “wonder year” when he began work on his discoveries in the fields of calculus, motion, optics and gravity.

• The letters of the Apostle Paul and John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress were written while both were imprisoned.

Right now, most of us have more time at home than we’ve had in a very long time. You may not make any earth-shattering discovery, or invent the next techno marvel, but let me encourage you not to miss the opportunity to improve yourself, bless your family, and reach out to others. Considering the “present distress,” this time at home could be a huge blessing for you, your family, and others in a number of ways.

1. Improve Yourself

Improving yourself can go in many directions, so here are three areas in life that can always use progress:

Your spiritual life. Use the extra time you have for Bible study and prayer. If you don’t have a prayer list, create one. Get a commentary or theological work to study something about which you’ve always had questions. You could also begin journaling or memorizing scripture.

Your professional life. Whatever your career might be, consider spending some time pondering how to become better at what you do. Perhaps you could use the extra time to take an online course that would broaden your vocational horizon. You could also read a book that addresses problems you’ve encountered at work.

Your physical life. Use this time to exercise more. Of course, going to the gym is out, but you could figure out ways to work out at home. Go for a run or take on a project that challenges you physically. The last thing you should do is become a couch potato, binge watching television.

2. Bless Your Family

There are hundreds of ways to bless your family under quarantine. Let me break them down into three categories:

Spiritual stuff. If you haven’t had family devotional time, this is a great time to start. Maybe you could help your kids with questions they have about the Bible, or things they struggle with.

Educational stuff. Challenge your kids to read good books. Teach them a new skill. Teach them the basics of car maintenance, or enlist their help on some home project. If you’re not sure how to do it yourself, there are always videos on YouTube where you could learn together.

Fun stuff. Take your family on a picnic or for a walk in the woods. You could also do a craft together or cook a fun meal. Break out the board games or learn a new game together. You could also get the family photo albums out and relive some of your fondest memories. A family movie night might also be a good idea.

3. Reach out to Others

In addition to prayer, look for ways you might reach out neighbors and friends. You could call an elderly person that you know lives alone. Talk with family about this and figure out ways to bless others.

If the Lord lays someone on your heart, give them a call. Let them know you’re available should they require help. I was personally blessed by a dear brother in our church who called to see if I needed anything or if he could help me in anyway.

Hopefully, your creative juices have already started flowing. That’s my goal. Let’s use this period of quarantine to demonstrate the love of Christ. It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that’s the stuff life is made of.”