How do I embrace a new normal in the coronavirus?
By Jessica Brodie
The coronavirus has made life as we know it very different right now. Instead of a boredom driven, want-based, shop-till-you-drop, pleasure-focused existence—or one utterly consumed by the endless monotony of work and sheer busyness—most of us are now in a season of quiet contemplation and social isolation.
Confined to the home and forced to steer clear of crowded gatherings, stores, and face-to-face interaction, some people are finding themselves with far too much time on their hands and choose to fill it by binge-watching Netflix, obsessively cleaning the house, finally starting that YouTube channel, or spending hours on social media. Others are going more introspective, taking time to reflect on who they are, what life is truly about, what they wish for the future, and where God is calling them. It remains to be seen whether this is a short-term halt to “Society As We Know It.” In our community, schools and church gatherings are closed until the end of March, but who knows? This all might well extend into April, May, or beyond.
We’re faced with a new normal, an existence different in many ways from our typical daily rhythm. And between self-imposed quarantines, curfews, travel bans, and other public health restrictions, plans can change quickly. Last week, I was supposed to be in Washington preparing for another major global event coming up in May. Now, both of those events are postponed until who-knows-when. A month ago, I was wondering whether we’d have enough saved to take a big family vacation this summer. Now, that doesn’t seem so important. Yesterday, I planned to swing by the grocery store for eggs and a loaf of bread. Now, with both sold out, I’ve changed my menu.
I’m quickly learning that “adapt and be flexible” is the best mindset right now. It’s both glorious and unsettling, isn’t it?
Reading the Bible this morning, it occurred to me this focus on flexibility has a lot to do with how I’m being called to live in Christ.
James 4 calls us to turn from the world and submit to God, trusting in the Lord—not ourselves—to provide both our path and our needs. As James warns prideful planners (as I am often inclined to be): “Pay attention, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such-and-such a town. We will stay there a year, buying and selling, and making a profit.’ You don’t really know about tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for only a short while before it vanishes. Here’s what you ought to say: ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:13-15 CEB).
Who knows what tomorrow will bring, James is saying. I am promised not even today—just right now, this very moment.
And as a Christian, my life is not even my own but rather God’s. As the apostle Paul reminds me, I was bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Therefore, what right do I have to make plans so pridefully, as though I have a say over what God wishes me to do with this day?
God calls us to set our plans aside, see what the day will bring, and adapt accordingly. He calls us to wake up, talk with Him, offer ourselves over for His purposes, and then go and do as asked—whatever that looks like.
I’m not there yet. There’s still too much “Jessica” in my day, too many things I prioritize without even bothering to consult God.
But I’m learning—and thanks to the pandemic, quickly.
Lord willing.
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