What is Normal?
Are we normal? Let us define the word normal. According to Merrian-Webster on-line normal is defined as: Conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern: Characterized by that which is considered usual, typical or routine. If you have surrendered your heart to Jesus and accepted Him as your Lord and Savior you are not normal. I pray these words encourage you. If you are not a believer in Christ, I pray the Lord would use this article to draw you to Himself and to give you understanding and a desire to live for Christ. The Patterns of this world are always changing. People are always conforming to the patterns of this world. Why do they do this? They want to belong, to fit in. They want to be loved and desired. They want to feel like they have a purpose. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to belong, with wanting to be loved, with wanting to have purpose. Searching the world for these things will only leave you longing for the next thing, searching for the wrong things to fill the missing pieces in your life. Romans 12:2 NIV says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
I want you to know that the ways of the world will bring sin which leads to death. It is not God’s will to see the world perish. He reminds us of this in John 3:17 NIV, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” My brothers and sisters, Jesus died for you so that you could be saved, so that you could be set apart from the world to be fully loved, to belong and to have purpose, all of which God had planned for you before you were even formed in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139).
Let me remind you of this with the intention of love: 1 Corinthians 6:8-10 NKJV, “No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” Nevertheless! By accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and surrendering to His will for your life, 1 Corinthians 6 ends by saying, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Becoming a born again believer you are sanctified (set apart)! The Lord has chosen you as His holy people! John15:19 NIV says “…As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world…” You have purpose! Ephesians 2:10 NIV, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” You are loved! Jeremiah 31:3 NIV, “The LORD appeared to us in the past saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’” John 15:13 NIV, “Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 3:16 NIV, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God is such a loving God, a loving Father, who desires to have a relationship with you. He longs to love you and in return receive your love. This is God’s love for us. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
Are we normal? Far from it! We are set apart as God’s chosen people, holy and beloved. We are given the high calling to love: Love one another, love ourselves, love our enemies, love the Lord our God. Is this easy? No. Is it worth it? Let me ask you this. Was Christ’s death on the cross for us so that we could be saved and spend eternity in heaven rather than hell worth it? John 3:16 NIV, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
©2022 Leslie Wittenmyer—all rights reserved