Changes

Hebrews 13:8 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Numbers 23:19

God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?

Psalm 91:5-6

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

Matthew 18:3

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 

      Life is a series of changes. Some are inevitable and some are man-made, but all are under the control of God's will and hands.  He may not be pleased with or condone the change, but as Romans 8:28 tells believers "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

     "The rapid changes in our world can give us a sense of unease and uncertainty. We can be thrown off balance by the suffering we see around us, the evolving technology that outpaces our ability to absorb it, and the daily rise and fall of the financial markets. Sometimes what seems worthwhile to us today has less value tomorrow." [odb.org]

      We never know what lies ahead and I am grateful for that fact! I have wasted and do waste enough time and energy when I worry about the future. If I knew ahead of time what was going to happen to me, I would not be emotionally or in any other way prepared for what lies ahead. The thing is, God gives us strength for that moment and not for the moments in our future. He will give us fearless faith at the exact time we need it and not a second earlier!

      As for myself, I typically fight change with all my might.  I realize though, that not all change is bad.  Here are some of my thoughts on change:

1]  CHANGE CAN BE A BLESSING.

"If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies".  I put up with an inadequate caregiver for way too long because of fear that I would get someone worse, but instead I was blessed with one of the best caregivers ever, Karla.

2] NOT ALL ACCEPT CHANGE WITH GRACE.

There are family and friends who were in my life and who knew me in my stronger days, that now have passed or visited my residence without any acknowledgement that I am here.  I feel they were more interested in what I can do, than who I am as a person. "People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

3] CHANGE HURTS AND HEALS.

As much as my physical strength weakens daily, it does hurt on all levels: mentally, emotionally, relationally, and physically.  But, it has turned me toward God more than anything for strength, peace, hope, patience and endurance.

4] CHANGE TAKES COURAGE

No matter how much life changes, we can have hope, for we are anchored to a firm foundation that will never be shaken.  Isaiah 28:16 "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed." [intouch.org]

5] CHANGE IS EXPECTED FOR BELIEVERS

When a person is born-again by accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, their lives go through a process of sanctification--making them more like God.  As a Christian, we are forever changed into a new creature and thus should behave, act, speak and respond to this world differently than those who remain unchanged by the Holy Spirit.