Defining a New Normal

There are two kinds of new normal—the good and the bad. Big surprise, right?

When defining new normal is good, we are on our way to college, as so many will be in just a few months. Good new normal might be our choice and we are finding our place in a new job; we are making new friends and discovering new talents. Our new normal might be adjusting to our new home or better yet, our first home.

But then there is the new normal that is not welcome. The loss of a family member causes us to define a new normal. In my case, my siblings and I are now the oldest generation of our family. This is not a new normal I wanted, however this new normal was expected and I had months to expect this new normal. Dad was going to be 83 this year; the new normal was impending.

For many families, particularly two of them, today begins a new normal they never expected. A child is shot and another child shot himself. While we attempt to face today normally, these families are finding a new normal. How in the world do they do that? How do any of us define the new normal when it isn't planned or expected? Maybe the real question is should we define the new normal? Maybe that is the point; we are not supposed to define the new normal—God defines the normal.

When horrible things happen, like yesterday's shooting at Reynolds High School, people wonder where God is at a time like this. God is everywhere. God is with the teacher who kept you safe; He is with all the responders who took charge of the situation; He is with the counselors who will help you sort out your feelings; He is at the funeral providing peace that surpasses understanding.

When new normal forces us to get up and face another day, God gives us the strength to do that. God defines the new normal moment by moment, then day by day, week by week, month by month, and soon the new normal isn't new anymore. It's just our normal.

In my mind, the worst thing about new normal is when it becomes the normal and we stop asking, "Where is God?" When we are right in the midst of defining the new normal we turn to God and plead for help, but when normal arrives, we give up on God. We figure we have it handled and we stop seeking God. This is the greatest tragedy. When we see God as some special wizard to shows up when we say the right words, we miss the true God. He is a God who loves us all the time, the God who is with us all the time, the God who hears us all the time.

Find the God who defines your new normal; find the God of all the time. If you need help finding Him I would be happy to help. You can
contact me through the comments or on facebook.