Sometimes “new” can be desired and exciting, but other times it’s not. Most of us want to live out James 1:2 and persevere through trials, but day-to-day living can instead be a roller coaster of pining for the past, trying to live in an unfamiliar present, and looking towards eternity.

Most of us aren’t good at juggling tennis balls or bowling pins. Now imagine trying to juggle while either walking or jumping backward… and wearing high heels.

This perhaps illustrates what it’s like trying to live a “new normal,” where life is drastically different than what we’ve been accustomed to and won’t change for some time or never will change. Our heart and mind are still in the life we just left, yet our present beckons. This new normal could be life after a loved one dies, bad news about our health, or prolonged unemployment. It could be a new city or a new lead pastor at church. Some of these circumstances are planned and others come without notice, but all result in a new normal.

Sometimes “new” can be desired and exciting, but other times it’s not. Most of us want to live out James 1:2 and persevere through trials, but day-to-day living can instead be a roller coaster of pining for the past, trying to live in an unfamiliar present, and looking towards eternity.

Why is adapting to change so hard? How do we walk through these canyons of life?

Why Transitions Can Be So Hard

A new normal poses various challenges, including but not limited to:

• Theological questions – Questions can abound when trying to reconcile what we believe with our experience. If God is good, why did my spouse or child die? Am I not a good Christian if I don’t rejoice always? Am I being punished for something I did?
• Emotional strain – We are made to know and be known. When close relationships end and new ones aren’t as deep, it hurts. Work and functional independence give us some sense of value, dignity, and self-respect, and when those are taken away, we might feel worthless or question our purpose. Whether what we have lost is in regard to relationships, work, routines, or health, we simply do not feel like ourselves anymore.
• Practicalities – New is scary, and if we’re not careful, we make unfair comparisons between the known past and the unfamiliar present. So how do we move forward while honoring what we’ve lost? Who can we talk to, especially when what we lost is so much a part of how we think and live?

Ultimately, a new normal dramatically alters foundations of our life. So, what can we do?

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