One of my very first blogs written way back in March of 2020 was an attempt to bring some biblical perspective to the hysteria surrounding the Coronavirus outbreak. America was headed into an unprecedented lock-down and I described hearing a radio commentator characterizing America grappling with the developing pandemic news in this way: “It’s 330 million people, all operating in at least one of 1960’s author Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, or acceptance—all at once.” This man’s description was astute and provided an interesting, and accurate description of extraordinary circumstances.

Since I penned that blog a year and a half ago, global, and national news has simply stayed at “extraordinary,” and not in a good way. We’ve been washed over by a change Tsunami, whether its seemingly permanent virus threats, riots in the streets, a contested election reflecting an utterly divided nation, cop killing, or now, the horrendous news from Afghanistan.

 Considering the Kubler-Ross stages of grief model applied today, we certainly see angry Americans. There are many still in denial, alongside countless discouraged people, and we have endless bargaining going on as people succumb to “every man for himself” temptations. Some hoard, others speculate, still others take advantage of crisis through dubious political or business transactions.

Moreover, I doubt many people are ready to accept anything as permanently changed. Our unreadiness to accept is perhaps because the negative change has swept the globe so suddenly. Most people are hoping, if not trusting, that in the coming days, weeks, months, or years that somehow we’ll see a return to how it was. We’ll all wake up from what seems an interminable nightmare, a bit worse perhaps for its pressure and stress, but “normalcy” will return.

Whether we ever see a return to “normalcy” again or not, I’m wondering whether, as a Christian, I should even want that. What was our normalcy two years ago anyway? Was our normalcy pleasing to the sovereign God of the universe? Corporately, were we proud of our marriages then and have we done any better since? How about the state of our family, church, city, state, and nation? Individually, I must ask myself, “what was my heart condition then, and is it more Christlike today? Even as the world crumbles, am I becoming more like Christ as every true believer is expected to do, regardless of whether life’s circumstances are good or bad? Think about it.

This fallen world is doomed and judgment is coming. Scripture is clear on that reality. Therefore, we should work hard to keep our minds focused on faith and our hope centered on the one true source of hope, Christ alone.  Such a perspective will have me asking myself: am I ready to meet Christ face-to-face because God’s gracious sanctification commitment to me at my salvation had moved me to real, heart-level Christlikeness? Would I fit in in Heaven with a pure, ready heart to worship God alone for eternity?

Good questions. Hard questions. Faith-testing questions. Romans 8:28 promises we can know “that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purposes.” And James 1:2–4 exhorts believers to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be made perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

As I read and meditate on these verses—words from the very heart of God Himself to believers for such times as these—I’m compelled to examine whether there are things God wants me to let go of that I’ve made more important in my heart than He.

What do I really need? Do I want God almighty just as He is? Do I want the beauty of the Trinity, the magnificence of the Gospel, the perfect truth, more than anything? And I mean, anything?

The negative momentum of this temporal world is helping me see deeper into my own heart, and there is surely sanctifying work yet to be done. Hmmmmm, perhaps that is what Paul and James, in their inspiration from God Himself, wanted me to see today…..precious truth penned thousands of years ago. These faithful men wrote from God’s heart for you and for me. 1 John 4:8 makes this astonishing claim: “whoever does not love does not know God because………God IS love.” (my emphasis added).

What is love? Check out First Corinthians 13:4–7: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” If God IS love, you can place “God” into this verse wherever you see “love.” I don’t know about you, but such a description of God awakens me to better love Him back.

This temporal world is not your home, precious church family. But what will our hearts look like on the other side of it? What do you really need?