Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Sitting here, I reflect on how time flies. A loss may have happened so long ago, yet when you reminisce, it feels like only yesterday. In reality, life has moved on, and it’s been ten long years. We live in a “post-norm” life, navigating as emotional amputees—much like those who adapt to the world missing a limb.

It’s a daily struggle to adapt when we lose vital parts of who we are, whether physically or emotionally. This journey is guerrilla warfare on our very souls. One day, we feel we’re conquering the world; the next, the walls of our sanity cave in.

It requires constant exercise of our will. We have to ask ourselves: How will we wage war for the core of our existence? As long as we breathe, we can be sure that happenstance and tragedy will come.

In this passage of time, each of us will find ourselves in a vortex of chaos at one point or another. But we must stay determined. We may wobble, stumble, and absolutely, we will fall down. But we must decide not to stay down.

Some tragedies can never truly be compensated for. There will be good days and bad days. Loved ones and limbs cannot be replaced, but if we do not give up, we may eventually find the beauty that life in the “post-norm” offers.

In the past sixteen years, life has been an emotional roller coaster. It seems like only yesterday I was playing basketball with my dad. Now, it’s been sixteen years since he’s been gone. This life “post-norm” has been challenging, but I choose to honor his memory by never giving up.

My dad was a masterful pianist. The last song he accompanied me on was also, fittingly, the same song I sang at his funeral.

As the hymn writer said, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well with my soul.’”

At the end of the day, like the song says, “it is well with my soul.”

“It is well” doesn’t mean it is easy. But through the grace of God, it means that we are surviving—and even thriving—in the midst of loss.

Reflection: When we lose a part of ourselves, whether through grief or other challenges, it’s easy to feel as though we’re missing a limb—functioning but not whole. Yet, in these times, we can lean into God’s promise: His grace is sufficient for us.

Though the “post-norm” might be a season of grief, pain, and adaptation, it is also a testament to the resilience of faith. God’s power shines in our weakness, reminding us that even when the journey is hard, His grace sustains us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the grace that fills the broken places in our hearts and lives. When life feels overwhelming and grief unbearable, remind us that You are our strength. May Your peace guide us, and may we always trust that it is well with our souls. Amen.