In many states, the percentages of those affected with COVID-19 seems to be decreasing.  Hallelujah!  What wonderful news!  Some businesses are slowly opening.  Many churches will begin having services in their buildings again.

While I am thankful for what is happening, I feel the need to remind myself and others that some of our “normal” might not be worth revisiting.  Certainly, I am not speaking of our jobs or churches.  I am not even speaking of our social lives.  What I am speaking of is leaving quarantine with a new resolve rather than clinging to old habits.

Out with the Old

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I heard many people say that things would be different once the stay-at-home orders were lifted.  People missed being able to attend church.  People missed their families and loved ones.  In light of this, I do hope that many things will not return to normal.

Our nation and our world need revival.  During the pandemic, people were seeking God and concerned about their souls.  As we return to church, work, and other social arenas, let’s keep seeking the face of God. Let’s press through in prayer as we intercede for our lost loved ones and our government.  The return to “normal” should be a new “normal” and not the old.

Examining Ourselves

Many of us spent the time in quarantine examining ourselves and drawing closer to the Lord.  This should continue.  We must continue to stir up the gifts of God that He wants to manifest in our lives (2 Timothy 1:6).  We should return to church and other social arenas of our lives with a renewed zeal to shine the light of Jesus Christ into our society.

Do not stop examining yourself, and I resolve to do the same.  While we do not live in condemnation, we should not become careless in our walks with the Lord.  We want to keep our relationship with the Lord fresh.  We do not want to end up like the five foolish virgins who let their lamps run out of oil.  As you know, oil represents the Holy Spirit.  We need to keep ourselves in the love of God and build ourselves up in our most holy faith (Jude 20-21).

A Different Mindset

Let’s re-enter the “normal” parts of our lives with a godly mindset by renewing our minds with the Word of God on a regular basis.  In doing so, our lives will be anything but normal, and this is good!

Personally, I believe we could be living in the season of the Lord’s return.  People are

hurting and looking for something to fill the voids inside their souls.  Jesus Christ is the only one who can fill it.  Let’s resolve more than ever to point people to Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Let’s refuse to let the mundane of everyday life drain us of our excitement for the things of God.

The fields are white with harvest (John 4:35).  People need Jesus, and we can point them to the cross.  Jesus said in John 12:32 that if He is lifted up, he will draw all men to him.  He was lifted up on the cross to pay for the sins of lost humanity.  It’s time we remind the world of this beautiful, wonderful hope.

No, we should not go back to normal.  Christians should run back to the outside world leaving all sin and weight that besets them. We should go into the harvest fields of our lives looking for people to bring to the Lord.