Preparing Your Heart for Post-Pandemic Life
One of my prayers during this pandemic is that my life doesn’t just “go back to normal.” My normal wasn’t working. My normal was too fast. I need a new normal. During a church small group Zoom call a few nights ago, we all discussed what pandemic practices we want to spill over into our post-pandemic worlds. Slowness.I want more nights of dinner at the table with my husband and movies on the couch. I want slow mornings with God and evening walks in my neighborhood. I want less “go go go,” and way more “slow slow slow.”My soul needs it desperately. While there has been much sadness and pain in the midst of Coronavirus, if we look closely, we can see the good God has been working together. So, how can we endure this hardship while sifting out the gold we want to carry away with us?
Reflect daily I'm not giving you a task or telling you you have to journal. I certainly don’t want to make anyone feel like they “have” to do anything while also navigating an incredibly difficult time. When I say daily reflection, I just mean to sit down for a few minutes, think through your day, check in with your feelings, and really process it all with God. Think about what brought you peace, what brought you stress, and what you did or felt that you want to experience every day.
Make a list Again, I'm not assigning meaningless tasks. I don't always love making lists, but writing down the things I want to hold onto when this is all over has been powerful. Every great leader talks about the "five things we should do every day." This time of slowness has shown me what five things I need to do daily for my well-being and what five things I can do to re-center my soul and experience true joy and rest.
Pray, pray, pray Although I'm listing this one third, it is obviously the most important. We ask God to search our hearts and weed out any bitter roots and anything that is holding us back from the abundant life He offers. Through prayer, we clearly see what we need to be grateful for, how God is working in our lives, and how we can better pursue His heart.---We can do those three things every day, and all we need is a quiet space, God's Word, and a journal. By checking in to how we really feel and going to God for advice on what we can learn through this worldwide pandemic, we calm our souls and remember that we will cross this sea. God will make a way and we will be forever changed.
We can feel the heartache of this situation while also seeking the beauty. The truth is: We don't want to be the same when it's all over. You don't have to learn a new skill, renovate your home, or write a book to experience real heart change. You only need to sit with God and ask Him to help you create a new normal that involves more rest, more peace, and more Jesus. Let's refrain from sprinting out of this once it lifts, and instead, walk out with our heads held high knowing we have grown as believers and will make more of a Kingdom impact than we did before. If slow and steady wins the race, we are training for the long-game right now. We pray against burnout and exhaustion in Jesus's name. God is preparing our hearts for a slower pace that will usher in more of His grace and more of the happiness that comes straight from His heart.
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