I worked for a man once who didn’t like change. Really didn’t. He liked routine, predictability and the old fashion way. But regardless of what he liked and didn’t like he would eventually have to agree to some of it and change would happen slowly, mostly for the better. I don’t like change much either and have a hard time when I see a season of my life end. Lots of seasons are ending in my life right now. Which causes me to feel fear, anxiety and sadness.
I looked in the Bible for a word about change. Of course the Byrd’s song “Turn, Turn Turn” popped into to my head as I turned to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. A few things I took from this is that first I have God’s permission to feel how I do, there’s a season for weeping or sadness in verse 4 and thankfully it’s followed by a season to laugh. There is not a season for fear or anxiety. So I should let go of them. In verse one it states in the Amplified Version “There is a season ( a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven.” There’s purpose to change. Purpose to what was before and what is coming and purpose to any pain you feel during the change your going through.
Next I stumbled upon a number of verses that speak of how God does not change. He is the only unchanging, stable factor in an ever changing world. I really liked what Psalm 46 verses 2-5 had to say. “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change.” (Well my fear should go out the window right there.) “And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas, though its waters roar and foam, through the mountains tremble at its roaring. Selah. There is a river whose streams made glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her (His city), she will not be moved, God will help her with the morning dawns.”
I take from this that I shouldn’t fear change because the Holy Spirit dwells in me and He will help me.
Finally I was reminded that we do change. God made us as beings that can transform from what we were into what he wants us to be. Change is painful, sometimes just emotionally painful, sometimes both physically and emotionally painful. But our goal is to live like Jesus, to be shining lights in a dark world and he changes us slowly into that glow.
2 Corinthians 2:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from (one degree of) glory to (even more) glory, which comes from the Lord, (who is) the Spirit.”
I’m not one to say “go ahead embrace change” but I do agree that it is necessary and has purpose and is nothing to be feared. Knowing that it is purposeful to God in how he shapes us helps take away the anxiety and fear I feel and some of the sadness too.
2BecomeBrave 