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Numbers 13:30-31,14:1-3, "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.' But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.' That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled, ... ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?'"
Throughout the Bible, God used quarantines to orchestrate change in His people's lives. Although we have not experienced it in our lifetime, it is a "normal" occurrence throughout the annals of history.
Enslaved for 430 years, the Israelite's "normal" was a life of forced labor under the domination and humiliation of the Egyptians. They were thankful when God led them into "quarantine" in the wilderness – even though the future was unknown. Soon, the Israelites stood at the precipice of the Promised Land and caught a glimpse of their new normal. They waited in anticipation of the return of the twelve spies sent to gain intel on the people of Canaan.
"Good news!" Said two spies who believed that, by God's power, they could conquer the land. The other spies doubted God and booed the idea. "Impossible," they said, "the people are too big!" Despite what they had witnessed God do in the past, the Israelites lacked faith and sided with the majority. And, ironically, the very thing they prayed for God to deliver them from is what they now wanted to return to - slavery!
Likewise, many of us have stepped into the unknown as we've walked into the wilderness of this quarantine. And, whether you are thankful for the change or you're struggling to adapt, God will lead you as He led them - to a new normal! If you're afraid things won't return to normal after this quarantine, STOP! God's done the miraculous before, and He'll do it again. Ask Him to lead you to your new normal – even if it looks different than you expected. You never know, it might be far greater than the old! So, be bold, accept change, and take that next step!
Note the positive aspects of what you've learned or realized during the quarantine. Are there any improvements you've noticed that weren't present in your "normal?" Keep those in mind and thank God in advance for what He wants to do in the new normal, trusting that your unknowns are known to Him.
Heavenly Father, I trust You! I know that You always have my best interest in mind. Although I'm facing the unknown, You are with me. I will not be afraid! Amen.