Navigating the “New Normal”

I don’t know about you, but the term “new normal” has me thinking and processing a lot these days. What will life look like as the world begins opening up restrictions and people begin living life “normally” again? Will we ever go back to what “normal” once was or will there be a “new normal?”

How do I know when it’s time to feel comfortable having friends over again, giving people hugs when I see them, or sharing a meal together? Even more so, how do I know that others are ready and I’m not overstepping just because I may be ready to get back to normal interactions?

And then there’s the questions that come when I do actually see people. Is this okay? What if we give coronavirus to each other? I will feel awful if I’m the reason the virus spreads. What about my kids? What if they get it while at school?

All these anxieties that may have surfaced when all the social-distancing and isolation measures were first put in to place have began to come up again in my heart.

So, in light of all these questions, how do we navigate this time as things begin opening back up? How do we go about trusting God in these times? How do we love others well when we are all on such a different page? How do we mourn the loss of some things that will just never be the same again?

I think one place to start in thinking through these questions is to reflect back on what God has been doing around the world and in our personal lives during this time to see how this can inform moving forward.

Major observations about what God has been doing during this time both in my life and around the world

• For me personally, God’s character has been a major focus. Looking back to the beginning of all this when anxieties were rising among everyone, God was constantly pointing me to depend on Him and His character. He is sovereign, in control, with us, and so very good. Some particular verses that were helpful to me were:

Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Colossians 1:16-17: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

*For more of an in depth look at some promises God has been reminding me about His character and how the gospel applies to this time, check out these posts:
Biblical Truths to Dwell on During a Pandemic
The Gospel and Coronavirus

• This time has revealed that true, lasting joy comes from Christ alone and He is my only hope. As the world around me has been turned upside down over the past months and as my heart has been tempted towards anxiety, I have clung to my true hope, peace, and joy in Christ. Trusting in the government, health care system, or other people will always fail me, but God brings me hope for today and for eternity.

1 Peter 1:3 says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

This LIVING HOPE is experienced because of Christ’s resurrection! This time has caused my heart to remember that even though there are a lot of what-if’s and changes happening daily, I can trust that whatever comes my way, I worship a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and is sufficient for all my needs.

For more of an in-depth look at the hope and peace we have in Christ, read these couple of posts on how God has shown me this during this time.
Our Only Hope
Peace in the Unknown

• People have been coming together to go out of their way to serve one another! This has been incredible! Neighbors have been helping neighbors, friends have been bringing each other items they couldn’t find from the stores, people have surprised each other with drive-by birthday parties or left gifts at each other’s doors. As the struggle became evident for many, the generosity and kindness amongst communities grew to beautiful levels!

• Essential workers have been recognized with thankfulness at levels they should always be thanked! Health care workers, teachers, and even grocery store workers have been brought to light for the amazing work they do. They have truly been amazing in how they have sacrificially cared for so many!

• Families have spent so much unhurried time together. This is one of my favorite things that I’ve seen during this time. As you walk down the road, you see entire families on a slow, enjoyable walk together. No one is rushing. No one is missing. No one is on their way to the next evening activity. Families are spending intentional time together. Oh that this would never change!

• The entire world is going through something together at the same time. We have been challenged to not only look at how to serve our own community, but our worldview’s have grown to see what’s going on around the globe and how we can serve them too.
  
  I’ve been drawn to think of how many of these questions we have had to ask in this time are just the normal questions each day in so much of the world- Will I have money to buy food for my family tomorrow? Will I have a job tomorrow? We’ve had this little glimpse into seeing what a normal day is like for much of the world. And through this, as believers and churches we have come together in new ways to serve, give, and share both locally and globally. Praise Jesus!

• Churches and businesses have been so innovative to figure out the best way to serve their communities. In a similar way, creativity has skyrocketed with people learning new skills during their time at home and using them to encourage others.

• We have all realized that there is just nothing that compares to connecting face to face with those we love. While technology has been a massive blessing, especially during this time, it has highlighted our need and desire for personal connection with one another.

This is just a short list of things that have stood out to me, and there are too many others to list! The time might have looked very different for you with many different things standing out to you, but the same idea holds true. Take a moment to look back and reflect on what God has been doing in your life, community, and around the world. Pause and thank God for all He has been doing.

In light of all of this, how should it affect the way we move forward as the “new normal” opens up?

This worldwide pandemic has brought so much hardship, but as we have seen, it has also brought so many areas of growth in our hearts and communities. It would be such a tragedy if we grew in all of these ways during this time and none of it impacted our lives going forward.

As Romans 1:3-5 says, “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.“

God uses all of these times to grow us, produce fruit in us, and point us to the hope we have in His name, that as we move forward, we would continue growing in all He has done in us.

New habits have formed, commitments and expectations have been re-evaluated, and communities have been transformed in many ways. One thing we must think through is how these new habits will affect our families and lives once life becomes open again. How will we choose to schedule our lives? Will we stop walking as families together when activities begin again? Will we stop looking for ways to serve our neighbors and friends? Will life become so hectic again that we don’t stop to pause and enjoy life?

I pray the answer to these questions is a resounding no.

We need to continue caring for both our own households– in slowing down and treasuring time as a family- and also in reaching out to our neighborhoods, our friends, caring for the needs of others, being willing to give of our resources sacrificially, and also looking to the needs of others globally.

We must keep providing, giving, and going to see the hope of the gospel both in our communities and going into the nations. This must continue to be a priority in our lives!

We must continue to rest in the character of God, trusting Him for the everyday moments of our lives, knowing His goodness and sovereignty over every detail of our days, and praising Him in any and every circumstance.

The hope of the gospel must continue to be central on our hearts. It has been clear in this time that our hope does not rest in our job, our friends, our family, our health, etc. but our hope lies in Christ. These Truths must carry us through, not only when we are in hard times, but in our everyday lives moving forward.

We must let these hard times produce fruit in our lives that we would’ve never experienced otherwise and let God use these times for His glory to the ends of the earth.

Our priorities need to continue to be impacted as a family, as a community, and as a church to care for the needs of others and to invest deeply for the sake of the gospel among the nations.

Questions to consider for reflection:

• How has God worked in my life in this time that I want to continue trusting Him for?
• How can we continue to be intentional as a family, whether that is by going on walks, eating dinner together, doing family Bible time, or any other habits that have formed in this time?
• How can I continue to love my neighbors moving forward? How can I show love to them in caring for their preferences as restrictions ease, asking them what THEY are comfortable with, even when I may feel comfortable interacting normally? (or vice-versa!) How can I be generous with my time and resources?
• What priorities and commitments need to be shifted in my routine to continue in these areas of growth, and to make my commitments actually align with my priorities?
• How can I continue to seek God with all my anxieties, cares, and daily moments/struggles even when they seem smaller or less significant than a global pandemic?

I don’t know what this time will look like as we enter into the “new normal,” but I do know that God will use all that has happened globally for His good and glory. I do know that we can trust in our great, powerful, and mighty God as we move forward into the unknown. And I do know that He will guide our way as we seek to love Him with all our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37). I also know that He will continue to move the nations to praise Him until all have heard and find their LIVING HOPE in His name. To Him be the glory both now and forevermore!

Have a look at my similar posts during the COVID-19 pandemic for more resources:
The Gospel and Coronavirus
Biblical Truths to Dwell on During a Pandemic
Encouragement for Long Days at Home
Peace in the Unknown
Our Only Hope
Biblical Resources for Time in Isolation