Kennedy’s assassination. MLK’s murder. Moon landing. 9-11. COVID-19 being declared a national emergency. Save the birth of a child or your wedding, those are classic “where were you when [fill in the blank]” events. That last date is March 13, 2020, by the way. “Two weeks” that has turned into thirteen months, or 401 days, or 9,624 hours of mask-wearing frustration, but who’s counting.

Whatever your socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, or race is, there is one trap we have all fallen into along this past year and that’s asking some variation of the question “when are things going to go back to normal?” Friend, I have some difficult news.

It’s time to bury “normal.”

Recently, a close friend of mine and I lingered in a parking lot after church service. I still can’t remember what he and I talked about for almost thirty minutes but I remember the sting of how our conversation ended when we got to the topic of COVID. “Things are never going back to normal” he said, equal parts question and declaration. Those “things” are different for everyone; job security, church, time with family, finances, mental health, the list goes on and on. After standing there running through what normal meant for each of us, we just sort of… parted ways. It felt as awkward as you feel reading about it now.

The lead balloon of despair was tied to my leg for weeks as I wrestled with where to find hope again. If normal is dead and gone, what next? What do I cling to? I can’t keep working remote and be successful, how are others doing it? How do I answer my daughter’s questions about the things she’s seeing? What if we get sick? This is about where I start breathing into a paper bag.

Over the past few weeks God has been restoring my hope and vision on the future – the new normal. Since I am chronically narrow-minded, suffer from selective memory and have a crippling lack of faith, God’s patient reminders to me from His Word have been nothing short of life-giving. In keeping with Matthew 10:8, I want to “freely give” back to you a few healing truths what were “freely given” to me.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

Many times as a child, I remember being in large crowds and laser focused on staying close to my father. I remember being at an event where all I could do was cling to his hand because I knew he would love me and take care of me. With my dad leading me, I would not get lost, scared about my future, or eat too much elephant ears. If you are in a relationship with Jesus Christ, there is literally not a single thing in this universe that can separate you from your perfectly loving heavenly Father who is in perfect control of your life regardless of how it feels at times. Hold His hand, trust His Word and He will guide you through this.

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Psalm 94:19 (NLT)

The psalmist admits what some of us need to confess; we doubt. Other translations say “when there are anxieties within me”. Can you relate to anxieties rising up within? While it may not be immediate, God will restore hope and cheer. Your eternal life does not rest with testing numbers published by CDC or WHO. Politicians advocating for or against personal choice in PPE or small businesses being allowed to reopen do not control the joy available to you in Christ. When doubt fills your mind, acknowledge it and thank God in advance for restoring your hope and cheer.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Jesus Christ, John 16:33 (NLT)

Shameless plug here, I wrote a blog about the most honest statement in history. If you’re a TL/DR sort of person, here’s the summary: Jesus promised difficulties of many kinds. I wish He would have been more specific. “Dom, there will be a pandemic on this year, you will have cancer on that year, and that girl will never go out with you no matter how many mix tapes you record.” Alas, He was not. I take great comfort in a God who gives me the honest truth about the future He sees and then invites me into a protective relationship. Remember Noah and his ark? Christ is the ark and you are being invited inside to survive this storm.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 (NLT)

There is so much about our days, our world, that change from second to second. People are fickle. Money comes and goes. Weather can’t be trusted. Emotions swing. Christ is the same! His faithfulness, his compassion, mercy and love for you, His availability, the peace He brings to any situation just by calling upon his name! Friend, Christ is available and trustworthy right in this moment as much as He was two thousand years ago to willingly take up that cross so that you might have forgiveness and hope. Keep your mind focused on the person, work and love of Jesus!

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Hebrews 13:14 (NLT)

There’s a popular meme out there called “Imma head out” where people illustrate the feeling of wanting to quickly leave the room in an awkward or difficult situation. Friends invite you over and then start arguing with each other? Imma head out. Texting the wrong person something about that person? Imma head out. We all have had that moment over the last year, “I just want out of this!” For the Christian, we are awaiting the day when God calls us to a perfect and permanent home. Spoiler alert, this isn’t it. One day there will be no more hurting or pain, no more suffering or anxiety, no loss or dissension. Our citizenship is in heaven, we’re simply passing through on this journey called life. Keep your days in perspective of eternity.

It’s time to bury normal. It’s dead. In almost every area of our lives, there is no going back to the way things were. However, Christ is alive and therefore hope is available. Christ is our rock and our constant. Trust Christ with your situations and emotions, with your today, and with your future.

Let faith, hope and love be your new normal!

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