A popular meme prompts people to consider how their lives should be different when we are no longer in a season of social distancing. It challenges us to ponder what parts of normal are worth returning to when normalcy returns. It is a good question. But just as it is worth ruminating on which parts of our previous normal should be abandoned, it is also worth considering which parts of our stay-at-home practices should remain. While the particularities may vary, I think most people can agree that this season has drastically altered their day-to-day, and in stripping away much of what we are used to, there is the opportunity to shape a new normal that is enriched by what we have gained.
So as you think about what you want to keep from your time in “quarantine”, here are some of the things that I hope to maintain from mine:
- A greater reliance on God – While I have definitely experienced personal seasons of uncertainty, I have never lived through a time where there was so much that is unknown across the globe. Throughout much of this period, every day felt like an unknown adventure and when the uncertainty of the future is pronounced, the Christian’s dependence upon God is as well. Even when a global pandemic no longer hangs over our heads, I hope to maintain my deepened dependency on my Creator.
- More intentional prayer – A greater reliance on God has caused more intentional prayer as I consider the many people impacted by the pandemic. Perhaps most impacted has been my prayers for the leaders whose decisions have a direct impact on me. Government officials, church and organizational leaders, and many others have been the subject of my concerted petitions for heavenly wisdom, as well as for God’s grace, endurance, and blessings to be poured out. Additionally, my thankfulness that God has gifted people to be healthcare workers, truck drivers, teachers, and customer service professionals has increased. I hope the purposefulness of both my prayerful thankfulness and my petitioning remain long after social distancing practices are lifted.
- Thoughtful time management – I have shared before that I don’t usually describe my life as busy, preferring instead to describe it as full. Of course, however you describe it, my calendar has had a lot less on it the past 4 weeks. One of the benefits of this is that it has reminded me of the importance of having unscheduled time on the schedule. Our kids have been so creative with coming up with things to do and we have loved figuring out new ways to share time as a family. I trust that life will one day be full again, but I plan to make sure that part of the fullness will contain unplanned time for my family to have unexpected adventures.
- Renewed recognition of the fragility of life – Scripture teaches us to number our days (Ps. 90:12) and the global spread of a deadly virus helps us realize the importance of this practice. We never know when our days on Earth will conclude, which is why it is important to make sure each day counts. Perhaps the fact that many people passed away in isolation during this pandemic makes this even more pronounced. Resolving relational tensions or imparting final words of wisdom may not have been an option for these individuals, and this reality should soberly remind us that we are not promised those opportunities either. May I live more regularly in the recognition that I am not guaranteed tomorrow and therefore I need to live today to maximize my eternal impact.
- Deeper appreciation for Creation – When stay at home orders were issued, people with kids quickly realized that literally staying at home was probably not going to be the best option for long. Kids have energy to burn and if we expected them to do school at home, we could at least try to provide them opportunities for play in the great outdoors. Of course, options were increasingly limited, but that seemed to make the opportunities to be in nature even sweeter. The roses in my backyard have been there since the previous owner planted them, but never have I appreciated them more than during this season. My kids were thrilled to walk on the hill behind our house – something we had never let them do before because there was never a reason to. Even hearing the chirping of the birds early in the morning which had previously been an annoyance was a reminder that once again God had caused the sun to shine on the evil and the good (Mt. 5:45) , and that just as He provided for those birds, He would provide for His kids (Mt. 6:26). God’s majesty and love are displayed in the world He created; may I never take that for granted again.
- Purposeful checking in – There are a number of people in my life that I check in on a regular basis. There is a far greater number that I check in with because I see them on a frequent basis. Whether they are my students, my co-workers, my fellow congregants, or others that I “run into” regularly, I usually have a sense of how they are doing because I will connect with them as part of my weekly routines. Of course, routines were drastically changed by stay-at-home mandates, and being aware of how people were doing required more intentional outreach. One way in particular this impacted me is that I didn’t know how my students were doing by the look that they had on their face when they showed up to class. I had to be more thoughtful about trying to identify those who were struggling and those who needed an extra dose of prayer and encouragement. The wonderful thing about building these practices is that I can, and should, use them even when sequestering ends. The removal of “normal” means of social interaction has caused a deepening of relationships in unexpected ways because it required me to prayerfully consider who God may want me to connect with and serve. Even when the convenience of regular in-person interactions resumes, I pray that I will continue to purposefully reach out to others, as the Lord leads.
This season of social distancing has impacted people in a variety of ways. And whether you are eager for normalcy to return, or you have enjoyed the reduced social commitments, or you fall somewhere in between, there are probably practices or perspectives that you have developed during this time that would be worthwhile to maintain. May all of God’s children recognize that this season of sequestering is something that should be stewarded, and like any of our stewardships, it should be our goal to gain all that we can from it – for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom.
