The last few months have caused most of us to re-think our lives. The financial, physical, and relational threat of the pandemic has caused us to make some big changes. But now as we apparently begin to return to some sense of normalcy, the question we should be asking ourselves before moving forwards is, what are the lessons that I’ve learned? Because when the threat is eventually withdrawn our human nature will lead us right back to where we were. It’s like the person who’s not feeling well and the doctor tells them, if you don’t change your eating habits you’ll never get to see your grandchildren grow up. Suddenly the threat of physical harm has that person’s attention. But as soon as the person begins to feel better, the tendency will be to go right back to their old ways. 

In any area of life whether physical, financial, relational, or spiritual it is human nature to return to the same bad habits of the past once the pain associated with those bad habits is removed. When the threat is present we make the necessary changes. And I believe that it’s worth mentioning the obvious, that these were changes that we already knew that we needed to make. But once we feel that the physical, financial, relational or spiritual pandemic has passed we tend to return to our old ways. We must avoid going back to what was once normal and be intentional about moving towards a new normal. 

If current events have hit you hard pay attention to the tension because on the other side you just may end up growing your faith and bettering yourself physically, financially, relationally and spiritually. If you don’t pay attention it’s likely that after the pain is gone it will be a matter of time before you return to your old ways.  

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. – Romans 5:3-4 NLT 

Before we move into the new normal now is a good time to ask ourselves, what have I been doing that has the potential to lead to my undoing? And, what should I begin doing physically, financially, relationally and spiritually that I should have been doing all along?