If you know me, you know that I have issues.  In fact we all have issues to some extent.  I often will think to myself that if I can just get this thing or get to this point, then life will be good.  Well right now I have an issue with a phrase that is being said a great deal.  I do not want to hear anyone say, “Well, this is our New Normal.”  Quite frankly I don’t really like the current situation in our world.  I do not want to settle for having to wear a mask every time I go out in public and not be able to personally see my loved ones, friends, and colleagues.  I fully understand that there may be some different ways of doing life after this pandemic subsides, but I don’t want this to be our “normal.”

Is that because of my pride?  Stubbornness? Selfishness? Maybe. I will fully admit that there are personal issues here.  But I also think we need to look at this from an eternal perspective.  Take note of Jesus’ words as recorded by the Apostle John:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Jesus said these things to His disciples because He knew the difficult times they were just about to enter into, when Jesus would go to the cross for the sins of the world.  Jesus wanted them to know that they will have struggles and hardship in this world, but that they should have their hearts be content because Jesus is in control of all that will happen in this world.  He wanted their eyes to not be focused on their situation but rather on who was in control of the situation.  Some meditation time on this passage would do our hearts well especially in these uncertain times.

If what we are looking for is our “new normal” or maybe getting back to “normal” then perhaps what we need is a better understanding of what God has for us in this world.  The Apostle John wrote to Christ followers in his first letter on this subject of a believer’s view of the world.  In I John 2:15-17 we read,

“Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

Here, the disciple Jesus’ loved is telling us that as followers of Jesus Christ we have love issues.  We love the things of this world rather than the Creator of this world.  Quite frankly we are settling for “normal” when we need to have our eyes on the one who will make all things new!  We will have challenges in this very difficult time, but if our only focus is getting back to “life as we knew it” we are missing out on the lessons Jesus wants to teach us through struggles in life.  The possessions, the ease of our lives, our desires versus our true needs all have potential to cause us to trust in this world and not in an eternal perspective through the trainings from the Eternal One.  Knowing the right answers gets you nowhere without walking in obedience.  James 1:22 says “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  Are you asking the Lord to help you with your eternal perspective as we read in I John 2?  

Several months back I was going through an incredibly difficult time. I was wrestling with a challenging situation and I received an encouraging note from one of my colleagues that said, “you got this.” That meant a great deal to me that they had faith in me to do the right thing. Right now I am saying to Jesus, “You got this!” I am going to trust you to do what is best in the world and my life.  I hope that you will daily put your trust in Jesus to change your heart and mind to have His eternal perspective on life in this world and in eternity to come.