How welcome is change in your life?
How welcome is change in your life? Are you thinking “sometimes” like I do? Great! I’m glad to be in company with you. For a lot of us, our first thoughts and concern in evaluating change is how it will affect “ME.” Will it facilitate my plans and paths or will this change hinder me? That’s a pretty natural response, and it’s not necessarily selfish since we will be a player if and when the change takes place, right?
There are some changes on the horizons of our lives that we can anticipate, though perhaps not in the full-color detail we would wish for. We may get a grasp on the big picture of the change, but the particulars are a bit beyond reach. As believers, we are often in the dark trekking through this Christian life which we would be wise to embrace as an adventure and enjoy the journey with its twists and turns. That’s why when in the “dark” we must remember what we have learned in the “light.”
There is One who is not in the dark, however, and we can rest, even when our boots are still shaking, knowing that we are under the wings of our Sovereign God. He sees the changes that confront us and even orchestrates some of them. He is never surprised by them, afraid of them, or unaware of the results of them. Having a Sovereign God is good. It is also good that our all-encompassing God is unchanging in His character. We can count on Him, and must count on Him to exercise His will for our good, even without tipping us off as to what the next step will be. Our God is always good. Our God is neither “static” nor “evolving.” His character is consistent and reliable . . . . though not always predictable. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” (Is. 55:8) Can you live with that?
Does knowing more of God’s character make you feel more secure no matter what? It is meant to. It is our faith in God, our trust in who He is in character, that makes us confident despite the unknowns that change brings. Those who search the word of God will be the ones who are most deeply aware of God’s promises and provision for us and will be prepared to face change with assurance and peace. God’s history as revealed in scripture is intended for such a use. “I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer. 29:11) We can allow ourselves to be encouraged by that just as Israel was meant to knowing that being fully God, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8)
Does that mean that the circumstances that accompany change cannot be worrisome, whether it be a job change, a change in the status of a relationship, or even a change in our physical or emotional well-being? No, it does not. That is why the truth of scripture and our knowledge of it are so essential. They are our anchors and we must default to them when we feel our first trembling. Our God is all-good and all-wise. Nothing escapes Him. He is committed to what will bring about our best eternal good, no matter what it looks like in the making. It is no “Pollyanna” prescription to apply this truth to your circumstance: “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those called according to His purpose.” Think About It.