A few days ago, I was praying with some guys about the current Corona crisis in our world. One of the guys made a statement in his prayer that stuck with me. He said something like this: “Lord, I pray that we not get back to normal, but that we move forward better than normal.” What a powerful perspective!
When we can look at one of the worst times in the history of the world we have experienced and see it as an opportunity for a revival and great awakening, that is the right perspective.
Seeing the possibilities in a difficult time does not mean you are not aware of the situation. It does not mean you are ignoring the severity of the crisis. It simply means that you realize that good things can come out of very difficult things. In fact, I think we would all be very surprised if we knew how many blessings we have today that originated from terrible circumstances.
I know that this current state of the world is not easy for anyone. Many people are losing their lives as a result of this virus. It is a horrible set of circumstances. We are all being affected by this pandemic.
One very important question to keep in mind is: how will we respond to a terrible circumstance? Do we allow it to control our attitude, behavior, and send us into a downward spiral? Or, will we look to God in faith and pray that many will turn to Him as a result of what we are all going through?
This crisis, as horrible as it is, is the time to focus on God. When the world is in crisis, we need God more than ever. There is no better time than the present to trust Jesus to be your Savior. There is no better time than now to read your Bible. There is no better time to pray than today. There is no better time to connect with other believers. There is no better time to serve and care for someone. There is no better time for revival and a turning back to God than right now!
No one knows what the future holds, but that’s exactly why we have to put our faith in Jesus Christ. He holds our future. He makes a way when there seems to be no way. There is hope in Jesus when the whole world seems to be hopeless. There is more to look forward to when it seems like everything is crashing in on you. Our hope is not in this world! Our hope is found in Jesus. Our hope is found in eternal life through Jesus Christ.
As my friend prayed the other day, I’m asking that God will take this crisis and use it to make our world better than "normal." I’m praying that it will cause an unprecedented return to faith in God. I’m praying that disciples will be made and multiplied, and that the outcome of a terrible circumstance will be eternal life for countless number of people. May we never forget our desperate need for Christ. May the days to come be better than normal, better than we could have ever asked or imagined.