One of the primary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the constant question of what is or will be normal. No doubt, the pandemic has changed the fabric of life for all of us. It has introduced new vocabulary, established new habits, and created new anxieties. Many people are asking, “when will be go back to normal?”
That may be the wrong question, however, or at least the wrong perspective. What if we view “normal” not as a thing of the past but something future to which we aspire?
A Lesson in Normal from the Driver’s Seat
I am sure you have noticed that your car windshield is much larger than the rearview mirror. An important practice for drivers is to pay attention to what is ahead of you. That is, as long as you want to go forward. Now if you want to go backward, the rearview mirror is your best bet.
Rearview mirrors are important. Drivers need to be aware of what or who may be coming up behind them. And certainly, when the situation necessitates going in reverse, the driver needs to be aware of what is behind. But for the most part, when travelling down the road, what is ahead is way more important than what is behind.
A Lesson in Normal from the Paul’s Experience
The Apostle Paul had a checkered past, including some positives and negatives. You can read his assessment of his past in Philippians 3:4-7. He had the best upbringing – great family background, top shelf education, and a fast-tracked career. Paul also had some things he wasn’t proud of. He lived with the regret of persecuting the Church he now served.
Yet, Paul put his past in perspective when he wrote,
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:12-14
Paul pressed on. He pressed on to lay hold of the purpose for which God had created Him. Paul had no desire to go back to the “good ol’ days,” or the bad ones either for that matter. He saw his best days as yet to come.
Hitting the Road Toward Normal
So here are some practical suggestions for looking forward to reaching your potential.
- Surrender yesterday. At the risk of sounding pseudo-philisophical, you are where you are because you have been where you have been. Your past has shaped and influenced you, but it should not define you. Only God gets to do that. So, own your past. Admit the failures and celebrate the successes but leave them there. We should learn from our past, but not be tethered to it.
- Submit today. Paul wanted nothing more than to fulfill the purpose God had for him. The journey to God’s normal for us begins today. It begins by being a living sacrifice to Him. We do that by letting His Word transform our mind and heart and living one day (or even one hour) at a time to please Him. Read Romans 12:1-2
- Start your journey to normal. The journey to living in the normal God has for you takes place as you live each day seeking what He has for you that day. The beauty of the Gospel is that the same grace that forgives the sins of our past also works daily in us to bring us to where God wants us to be. After a succession of days, you will draw closer to His normal. Read Colossians 3:1-4
So, put your life in gear… FORWARD. Normal is not back there, it’s up ahead.