New Normals Ahead
I feel like at this time, more than any other in our lifetime, we can relate a little bit to Noah. Not perfectly, but in a big way none-the-less. He boarded a ship and the floodwaters filled the earth. He had no say in what happened, he only did what he was told; obeying God down to the last and smallest detail. Then he sat in his ark, full of animals, sharing tight quarters with just his family... He had no idea when the quarantine would end. He didn't know what the world would be like when it ended. He had no answers, he simply had to wait. There would be an ending, there would be a new normal, there would be life after the ark -- but for a while he just waited. What he did for the 40 days of raining and for the 150 days that the floodwaters took over the earth, I do not know.
But I can think about what we are doing in this time of quarantine. Are we using this time to encourage the creative side of ourselves? Are we finding new ways to connect with family members who share our quarantine space? Are we utilizing technology to bridge the social gap we are inevitably feeling? Are we spending time seeking out God's will for us in this unusual time? There are so many opportunities, the silver lining if you will, in these unexpected moments we now have day after day after day.
As we get further and further into this quarantine life, as the things that felt wearisome and ill-fitting at first slowly morph into a new normal, I find myself occasionally filled with a little anxiety thinking of what the world will look like once this is all over (or as over as it can be). Thinking of Noah, I wonder what it felt like to step off of the ark, after being in it long enough to embrace a new, albeit temporary, normal? Did the bright sunlight burn his eyes? Did Noah feel like the solid earth was still billowing beneath his feet after months of floating in a swaying boat? Did the thought of being alone in the world, with only his family to keep him company, feel overwhelming?
As we continue to embrace what is hopefully the end of this pandemic, and prepare ourselves for whatever life looks like post-quarantine, we need to remember that God is with us. He hasn't left us. God never forgot about Noah on his boat for all those days and nights, and He hasn't forgotten about us, sheltered in our homes.
This is a new venture for all of us. No one is immune to the potential awkwardness that awaits us as we come out of our homes, squinting in the light and hesitant of re-immersion into a world that feels scarier, bigger, and different than we left it. Remember to show grace to others, and yourself, as we all try to pick up life and start walking again. New normals are ahead of us, but so is God. Let's remember to help each other along the way.
But I can think about what we are doing in this time of quarantine. Are we using this time to encourage the creative side of ourselves? Are we finding new ways to connect with family members who share our quarantine space? Are we utilizing technology to bridge the social gap we are inevitably feeling? Are we spending time seeking out God's will for us in this unusual time? There are so many opportunities, the silver lining if you will, in these unexpected moments we now have day after day after day.
As we get further and further into this quarantine life, as the things that felt wearisome and ill-fitting at first slowly morph into a new normal, I find myself occasionally filled with a little anxiety thinking of what the world will look like once this is all over (or as over as it can be). Thinking of Noah, I wonder what it felt like to step off of the ark, after being in it long enough to embrace a new, albeit temporary, normal? Did the bright sunlight burn his eyes? Did Noah feel like the solid earth was still billowing beneath his feet after months of floating in a swaying boat? Did the thought of being alone in the world, with only his family to keep him company, feel overwhelming?
As we continue to embrace what is hopefully the end of this pandemic, and prepare ourselves for whatever life looks like post-quarantine, we need to remember that God is with us. He hasn't left us. God never forgot about Noah on his boat for all those days and nights, and He hasn't forgotten about us, sheltered in our homes.
This is a new venture for all of us. No one is immune to the potential awkwardness that awaits us as we come out of our homes, squinting in the light and hesitant of re-immersion into a world that feels scarier, bigger, and different than we left it. Remember to show grace to others, and yourself, as we all try to pick up life and start walking again. New normals are ahead of us, but so is God. Let's remember to help each other along the way.
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