Normal?
We’re nearing the end of another week of life, and for most people, life looks differently than it has in a long time, maybe ever. As much as we try to be normal, do normal, think normal, many can’t go to work, most can’t gather in a place of worship, and now the kids can’t have a normal conclusion to their school year. Things are just not normal right now.
Maybe we should ask ourselves, “What should normal be?” Most would likely answer that normal is back like it used to be. Predictable, calm, routine, satisfying – those sorts of things. Perhaps there is an opportunity before us to be more grateful for even the smallest things that make life easier. We need to see that predictable is best appreciated when we pass through a period of unsureness. Calm is most valued when we look back at it through a present storm. Routine always looks better after life has been all jumbled up for a little while. And satisfying, though for most of us always a moving target, is never appreciated until we can’t find it.
A while back, our society came up with the phrase, new normal. It was an attempt to give legitimacy to the lowering of standards, adjusting morality downward. I’m certainly not suggesting that such is okay, but I believe it is entirely possible that we are a little too hung up on “normal”. Or maybe the normal we are looking for is not the right normal. Instead of being defined by the physical, what if we let “normal” be defined by the spiritual? That, of course, would necessitate a bold change in perspective on the part of a lot of folks. While the world’s focus is on the earthly, which is tied to events, circumstances and conditions that sometimes impact human lives with stark and painful results, the Christian’s focus should be on the Heavenly, which is not changed by any earthly events, circumstances or conditions. It IS a big challenge, this business of keeping our focus where it needs to be.
I do not dare suggest that the turmoil surrounding the present distress of COVID-19 is something we should ignore, or pretend does not exist. But I do insist that even this time of pandemonium that has disrupted many of the systems we have come to depend on must not be allowed to disrupt our faith. I believe Paul gives us the recipe in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: So we do not lose heart. Though or outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Today, it seems that everyone has a prediction about where all this is going for our nation and our world, and if you check back in to the news 10 times a day, you’ll likely get 10 different impressions. It’s no surprise that all of them seem to be very grim. Let’s stop focusing on all these predictions, and take our stand on God’s PROMISES. They are full of comfort, calm, and hope. Let’s keep that as our normal.