Back to Normal?
Normal: the usual, average, or typical state or condition
In the spring of 2020, all we could talk about was our desire for life to return to “normal.”
We felt helpless watching footage from Italy and seeing the numbers on the Johns Hopkins Covid-19 map increase. Before long every company we had ever done business with was reminding us how bad things were, sending emails about how they were working to keep their employees and customers safe during these “unprecedented” times.
But as 2020 dragged on, things went from bad to worse. Toilet paper shortages. Empty grocery store shelves. Racial tensions. Mask wars. A contentious election. There’s a reason this gif was the unofficial image of the year.
Let’s not pretend that 2021 was much better. The pandemic dragged on. The political polarization worsened. Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. By the end of the year, many of us felt exhausted, but we slogged on.
Now, on the cusp of fall 2022, it appears that life has returned to normal in many places in the US. The social distancing signs and plexiglass dividers have been removed. Large indoor gatherings have resumed. Our calendars are once again overscheduled.
On the surface, things appear normal, but what about underneath the surface?
Are we still the same people we were at the end of 2019 when we were entertaining lofty dreams about how amazing the next decade would be?
Is it even possible to return to “normal” after living through such “unprecedented” times?
It will take some time and distance to unpack the long-term effects of the pandemic, but there’s no question that its impact will be felt for decades.
Given the massive interruption we’ve experienced, how do we move forward?
Do we simply put on a brave face and stuff down our feelings? Do we look for the silver lining? Do we pretend it never happened and try to make up for lost time?
When we look at Scripture, we see that God’s people experienced a lot of difficulties (bondage in Egypt, wandering in the wilderness, exile in Babylon, persecution, etc.). Life wasn’t smooth and easy. Sometimes this was due to their taking their eyes off God and turning to idols. Other times it was so God could demonstrate his power through human weakness. Either way, God’s people weren’t strangers to suffering (Hebrews 11).
As people living in relative stability and comfort, this is hard for us to imagine. We want things to be predictable. Click a few buttons, and food shows up on your doorstep in an hour.
But what if normal isn’t coming back in the same way? How will we react? Will we long for idyllic good old days (that never really existed), or will we accept the teaching of Jesus that in this world we will have trouble (John 16:33)?
The reality is this isn’t a one-and-done decision. We need God’s grace each and every day to sustain us through the ups and downs of life.
That’s one of the reasons we need the local church. While it’s great that we can listen to the best preachers in the world on podcasts and livestreams, we must remember that this doesn’t replace the local church. Consuming sermons isn’t the same as being shepherded. We need the local church to help us walk out our faith through worship, prayer, sacraments, and other means of God’s grace.
In addition to the local church, we must continue to set our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen (2 Cor 4:18). This doesn’t mean that we are out of touch with reality. Rather, those who are “heavenly” minded in the true sense, are most in touch with reality. As Paul tells us, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12). That’s why we wear the armor of God.
Even when it seems like the whole world is going off the rails, we take comfort in the fact that God is making all things new (Rev 21:5). Yes, there is pain, sorrow, and death in this life. But this isn’t the end of the story. Our hope is in Jesus coming back to gather his people when we will dwell with him in the new heavens and earth.
Before we rush back into “normal,” it’s worthwhile to take a step back and reflect prayerfully on the past two and a half years. How have we changed? What have we learned? How has God been faithful in the midst of upheaval?