God Is Doing A New Thing!

We’re over two months into a period of uncertainty brought about by an agent known as COVID-19. In what has been classified a pandemic, this outbreak has affected us all in ways deemed unimaginable. Who would have ever thought that we’d need to don a face mask to go shopping or practice social distancing? We’ve become more cautious of our cleanliness, actions, interactions, mindsets, and habits. For the time being, our sense of normalcy has been annihilated. Socially, economically, and politically, our lives will never be the same. In some ways, the disruption could be a very good thing!

With the exception of the many lives that have been lost as a result of COVID-19, a loss of possessions along with changing mindsets might not be so bad. Yes, that’s a hard statement, but as a believer, we must walk in the faith and understanding that God moves from glory to glory. Though it appears that our lives are on pause right now, this is a temporary situation. If we remain obedient and focused, we shall weather the storm and be victorious. Sometimes, you have to lose in order to gain. You can get a new house. You can get a new job. You can even repair your credit. Though it may be difficult to see at first, even when it appears that you’re losing an item of substance, you’re being positioned and transitioned for your next victory. If you’ve lost prized possessions and other items of significance during this pandemic, could it be that God wants to give you something better? While it can be stressful and disappointing to lose the things you’ve worked so hard for, don’t allow an attachment to a worldly possession cause you to become detached in your relationship with God. In times when you can’t understand the hand of God, you must trust in the plan of God.

As creatures of habit, we often learn by force and not by choice. One thing this pandemic has made evident is that society by and large lacks patience as well as a regard for sound wisdom and judgement. Sensible or not, we want what we want when and how we want it; that’s just  human nature. As it pertains to our personal lives, we want to be in control and we’ll go to extreme lengths in the name of self-gratification. That’s why there’s such a tug-of-war in our relationship with God. To receive the blessings of God, we must forego self-gratification in exchange for obedience and submission. In turn, God teaches us, in the most subtle ways, that He is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do.

For the past few Saturdays, as I previewed broadcasts on the local TV networks, I noticed something that really caught my attention. All the major networks were broadcasting classic sporting events. ABC was broadcasting an NBA finals game from 2008, FOX was broadcasting a baseball game from the Fox Sports Greatest Games series, and NBC was broadcasting the Masters National Women’s Golf Championship. So, what’s wrong with that, you may ask? Nothing . . . nothing at all, except a valuable perspective was gained. By now, the NBA playoffs would have culminated, and baseball season as well as golf would be well underway. Typically, the major networks would broadcast these events live, but due to the pandemic, networks are scrambling to fill the void of live sporting events with relevant content. Unable to give viewers what they want, networks provide the next best thing, highlights from the glory days depicting a time when athletic performance was at its peak. There’s nothing wrong with reruns, but old footage doesn’t give an accurate depiction of what’s happening in real time.

Because many of us have been homebound for at least 30 days, we’ve been confined physically, mentally, and emotionally. Physically, we’ve been confined to the same space; mentally, we’ve been bombarded by media with the same headlines day in and day out; and emotionally, we don’t know what normal looks like anymore. We’ve been conditioned to think that prior to this pandemic, the economy was at its peak and by and large, many Americans were doing the best they’ve ever done. Because of this conditioning, an urgency to return to “normal” is being emphasized. Tired of reruns, there's an impatience to experience something new. However, no matter how many times we flick life's remote, we discover the same distorted view. In a rush to normalcy, pursuit of the familiar may block many blessings. Why settle for ordinary when you can have God's best? When we get to where we’re going, what will we find when we get there? 

God wants to give us a different view and do a new thing in us and through us. Because of a weakened transmission on our end, God cannot deliver a live broadcast to us due to worldly interference. Take a moment to assess your transmission as well as your reception. Why type of signal are you giving off to God? What’s blocking your heavenly feed? It’s time out for reruns. It’s time out for nostalgia and holding on to the glory days of your past. Isaiah 43:19 reads,

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁹ Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.

Even now, in the midst of food shortages, limited resources and supplies, and astronomical unemployment, know that your best days are yet in front of you. Change life’s channel and get rid of your DVR. Switch over to the Lord’s live broadcast. Allow God to interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to give you updates on where you should go, what you should do, as well as a detailed report on what’s going on around you. God is not confined to the ordinary. Trust Him to see you through and make a way out of no way!

Inspirational Thought: