As I write this, the buzzword that is now getting much attention is about the “new normal” once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. This is about how people will adapt to the new environment that is being shaped by a crisis. As it now stands, we do not know when all of this will be over, but one thing will be clear, normal life as we know it has changed.
The question now is how will we adapt to this new normal? Will COVID-19 be really eradicated or it will become a seasonal disease? Will we continue to wear a face mask every day? How about social distancing like in the office where some tables are so near to each other? How about commuting to and from work?
There are so many questions that cannot be answered today and many want answers especially from the government. The bad news is that the government cannot (and probably) will not answer these questions.
But there IS good news!
The world had a severe new normal experience when Jesus came to earth, preached the Good News, died and resurrected for our sins. The disciples had to adapt afterward when Jesus ascended back to heaven. What they did was to allow themselves to be led by the promised Holy Spirit of God.
This is also what we need to do: ask guidance from the Holy Spirit.
The Book of the Acts of the Apostles describes how they, the first believers, trusted in the Holy Spirit through prayer and fasting, on how to get through each day.
Remember that most of the apostles during that time were not highly educated. They were ordinary men and women who trusted in the Holy Spirit because that was the ONLY thing to do. We can be the modern-day disciples of today who must also be led by the Holy Spirit. Science and data will help because that is also wisdom but we need to be led by the Holy Spirit.
We can rely on the Word of God to guide us into this new normal.
One of the most popular verses in the Bible is found in Romans 12:2 which says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” When the world settles on what it calls normal, Christians should evaluate, or test, so that we “may discern what is the will of God.” When there is something wrong with this new normal, we need to “renew our mind.”
One thing that will not change is how we access this “resource” to adapt to the new normal: prayer.
We need to seek God and His will through prayer.
You and I need to listen to God in prayer and cannot do what we want to do without prayer. We need the approval of God through His Holy Spirit and we get it (or we don’t) through prayer.
The bottom line is that the world will never be the same again after this crisis. As believers in Christ, we need to be able to quickly adapt to the new normal. We need to be prepared and ready and we need to have faith in the next move of Jesus so that He may be able to fulfill His will for our lives.
