During much of the pandemic, it seemed very normal to hear people say they couldn’t wait until things got back to normal. Now it feels like we’ve achieved back to normal, but is that where we want to be?
When the pandemic first hit, it was pandemonium everywhere. People’s employment was uncertain, families already struggling felt an even bigger impact. When time were uncertain, we saw the members of the Church really rise up. They donated to organizations helping others or gave freely of their time to make sure other families could continue to have their basic needs met.
Then the urgency slowly faded away and everything kept dragging on. Soon it almost felt like people were more concerned about arguing over a piece of fabric on our face than serving others and sharing the hope of Christ to those hurting. Of course, this isn’t unique.
Humans are prone to wanting to dive back into something comfortable. We’re prone to being more concerned about earthly things rather than eternal priorities. We’re prone to forget what God is doing for and through us and begin to get caught up in short term issues. Even though we had an initial excitement and energy to do whatever was necessary to serve and show love to others when the pandemic hit, we quickly became lukewarm again.
Let’s not forget our first love, let’s not grow faint or weary. Paul wrote the Thessalonians to warn them not to become idle was they waited for the second coming, instead of growing lazy as we wait, we should always be on mission for God.
11 For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others. 12 Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ that quietly working, they may eat their own food.[c] 13 Brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
Whether we want to admit it or not, before the pandemic our churches looked a lot like the Thessalonians. Growing idle in our gospel sharing and serving. Forgetting to be focused on God’s mission and instead being focused on the busyness of our other responsibilities and desires: work, sports, days on the lake, hiking, kid’s activities. We fill up all our time with whatever we think will make us happy and fulfilled, but how much time do we leave to love our neighbor, serve at our church, share the gospel message?
I don’t want to go back to that. I don’t want to go back to “normal” if it means going back to our busy lives and being focused on temporary issues. Normal was Christianity being on the decline, false teaching sneaking into our churches, sense of community going down, mental illnesses going up, church attendance going down – I don’t want to go back to that. I want the church to get its excitement and urgency back. I want people to be transformed and their lives renewed as they focus on the Jesus’s priorities and not theirs.
15 Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.
1 John 2:15-17
I don’t want to get back to normal, I want to see the Church grow and spread like wildfire. I want to see people making church and the body of believers their priority, I want to see the true gospel being preached and changing lives. There’s nothing normal in that. And we shouldn’t be normal. We shouldn’t be like the world. We shouldn’t be craving comfort and sinking into worldly desires, we need to press forward and be filled with the Spirit, following Jesus and living for the Father.