As our country shifts into post-pandemic times, there is much relief and excitement, but also a bit of trepidation. Is it really going to stick? Can we really just go back to “normal?” What even is normal?
We’ve all gotten so used to bating our breath, waiting for the next curveball of a spike in cases or another virus mutation, that this return to normalcy seems almost too good to be true. We have become skeptical, cynical, preservation-focused. We have been hiding in our homes like hermits and are afraid to step into the light of day–the sun feels a little too promising, a little too brutal on our damaged skin and psyches. But nevertheless, the sun is here. The times truly are changing, and we get to change with them. We get to step into this next season scarred and worn out–but also filled with a new and deeper hope that has developed within us because of the trials we’ve collectively walked through. The pain and horror we have collectively known. No more will a barbecue with friends be taken for granted; every gathering will be a luxury and an opportunity to praise God. Every coffee shop date and concert and graduation party will be filled with worship, because we know it can be taken away in an instant. We know a world without the joy of in-person fellowship. We know the mental anguish of isolation. We know the fear of never being able to see our loved ones again.
Because of what we’ve known, we’ve grown. And now we can heal. Now we can move forward into a new normal, a new world that is defined by our gratitude for every moment.
rhythms of grace 