Seven Biblical Steps for Redeeming the Loss of Normal Life

Have you noticed that our lives have transitioned from rescue mode to recovery?

With some 400 miles of coastline in my tiny state, there are frequent calls for boats in distress, missing swimmers, or communication lost with returning fishermen.

We hit our knees when crews head out on rescue missions and intensify our prayers when the sun hangs low on the horizon. We continue praying when the mission is announced to have officially switched from rescue to recovery but now, we pray for surviving loved ones, that God may have mercy on them and allow some concrete evidence that they can pursue closure.

In a strange way, this pandemic has mimicked this process of rescue and recovery with our daily lives.

Initially in March, everyone imagined that life as we knew it had just temporarily slipped beneath the waves of this virus. We called out for rescue, all hands-on deck, and made every effort to retrieve what we knew as normal from the sea of permanent change.

But months later, here we stand, the knowledge that our mission is now one of recovery sinking in slowly as we lean over the railing, stunned by how easily “normal” slipped beyond our grasp lost in a dark undertow we never saw coming.

By God’s grace, we aren’t left to sort through this ambiguous grief alone. We have the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the knowledge that God is merciful, the eternal life of Christ with us, and the words of those who have gone before us.

The prophet Jeremiah provides us with seven steps for lamenting the loss of normal.

Acknowledge Our Loss: In Lamentations 3:17-18 ESV, Jeremiah is not afraid to detail is sorrow to God. “my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, ‘My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.’” To be vulnerable and transparent before the Lord in prayer, as we grieve what we thought would be, is an act of faith.

Remember God’s Character: Jeremiah doesn’t just elaborate his sorrow; he also details what he knows about God’s nature. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV Whatever else has changed, we remind ourselves that He has not changed, nor has His hand on our lives.

Determine to Find Contentment in God Alone: Deep down, we know God is our portion, but we are prone to wander. Times of intense trial call us back to the heart of worship. It is good to renew our vision of solely relying on Him for fulfillment and not on circumstances. “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” Lamentations 3:24 ESV

Wait and Listen: In this great upheaval, many of us have acknowledged how desperately our souls needed a pause. How frantically we were seeking all the things and now, we are stopped in our tracks.  Jeremiah echoes our own emotional exhaustion when he says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:25-26 ESV When we stop seeking all the things and seek only Him, after a time, our spirits are renewed.

Expect God to Act Again: “For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.” Lamentations 3:31-33 ESV We live in a fallen world and God doesn’t spare His children every circumstance common to all humanity, even suffering, but we can trust He works all things together for good for those who love Him. In The Message, Rev. Peterson paraphrases Jeremiah this way, “Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way.” This, too, shall pass.

Battle in Prayer: We are in a great spiritual battle, but the Lord is our defender. Be unrelenting in prayer. Be faithful to appear before Him. Persevere in faith. There is always more going on than we can see and we do well to walk in that reality. “All our enemies open their mouths against us; panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction; my eyes flow with rivers of tears because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. ‘My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite, until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees’” Lamentations 3:46-50 ESV

Reject Fear, Redemption is Here: Jesus has not abandoned us. He is here and we can be with Him in His work when we reject fear and live as the redeemed. “You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’  “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.” Jeremiah 3:57-58 ESV We don’t know what lies ahead but the way will appear as we walk forward into it with our eyes on Him.

The struggles of the pandemic and the fallout of all the efforts to manage it are real. We don’t serve anyone by pretending we aren’t impacted.

In fact, as people of faith, we have an opportunity to let God work through our own vulnerability and transparency in this time. It will require courage and that we do hard things, but we are the redeemed and He will enable us as we make ourselves available in faith.

Have you noticed we've transitioned from rescue to recovery in the mission of lamenting "normal" life? These 7 steps will help. https://t.co/A9mz9ua9kQ #COVID19 #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) August 15, 2020