My New Normal
“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise for our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3
I recently read a blog where the writer described her new normal. It required her to let go of some old friends and situations that were not good for her. It meant taking a step outside of her very comfortable existence and trying something new. It dared her to walk along God’s path and to see that it was oh so good.
Her new normal…
My new normal…
I am not the same girl as I was 20, 10, even 2 years ago. I have dared to step out in faith and trust that God knows what He is doing in my life – even when it seems at times chaotic and at times uncomfortably silent.
Yet the voices that held the old me in bondage continue to rise up and dictate my days. And old habits die hard especially when those voices – as negative as they are – were constant companions for over 20 years. And even though they don’t take residence in my brain as habitually as they did in the recent past, they still whisper and taunt me when I dare to step up and step out. And unfortunately I have invited them in and listened to their harassment.
But Paul said that anyone who is in Christ is a new person. The old is gone and the new has begun (1 Corinthians 5:17). And because I have committed my life to Christ and finally believe that I am new and I can do all things through Christ, then I need to silence the nay sayers and create my new normal.
My new normal means…
• Believing that I am chosen by God; I am His beloved and He is mine. Acknowledging that I am precious to Him. Living as though I am the bride of Christ, a mighty warrior. Knowing I am beautiful, desired, created on purpose for a purpose and that I am defined by God. Period. His opinion is the only one that matters.
• Grasping the power of Jesus in me and holding tight to Him when I am the most frightened. I can do all things that God has called me to because the power of Jesus lives in me.
• Walking as a woman confident in the talents God gave me, but living and boasting only about Jesus and the way He can change a person from the inside out.
• Living a fun, extraordinary, abundantly joyful life. Jesus died so that I can have an amazing time on this earth serving Him and telling others about His amazing grace. With God’s help I am daring to love extravagantly.
• Taking off the mask and being real. As I risk letting others see my flaws (and there are oh so many) my hope is that they will see Jesus shining through the cracks in my life. Jesus is the only one I want people to see when they look at me.
So what is your new normal? Do you have one? Would you like to?
All of the above truths belong to anyone who has chosen to follow Jesus. They are ours, but we must believe and receive them as truths in our lives.
Today is the best day to begin creating your new normal. The past is gone and doesn’t have the right to haunt us or keep us bound to our old selves. You aren’t that same person any more. You have grown. You are changed because of God’s amazing grace.
Embrace the change. Dare to live a life dependent on Jesus.
You have the power to create your new normal.