Change...it can really be a problem...or a blessing...kind of depends on your perspective. For instance, if you're in a really bad situation, like a drought, you'd welcome change...a little rain. But, if you're having what some people would term a "string of good luck" you don't want anything to change. As a matter of fact you might even get a little superstitious about change.
But all things considered, I think most of us resist change. There is just something uncomfortable about change. We don't really like it when someone changes our presets on the radio or when a restaurant changes the recipe of our favorite dish. Detours really throw us for a loop because it makes us change our normal route and even house guests (even ones we love) can make us irritable because they force us to change our routine.
The truth is, unless we perceive that there is a huge benefit to change, we will probably fight it. In other words, if we discover a great new radio station as a result of someone changing our presets, we welcome the change. If changing our hairstyle gets us lots of compliments, we'll probably adopt the new hairstyle as the "new norm."
The key is, we have to be willing to try something new with an open mind and for long enough to decide whether there is a benefit to the change. Of course, no where is this more true than in the church. Change is especially difficult in the church because everything we do in church is connected either directly or indirectly to our worship and relationship with God. As a result we tend to see the status quo, or normal way of doing things, as sacred. Somewhere we got the idea that "sacred things" shouldn't be changed and most of us are pretty sure that God feels that way too. Man, not much could be further from the truth.
God is a God of change. From Genesis and the story of Abraham where God asked him to move to a new country, changed his name and turned his life upside down with the birth of an unexpected child, to the book of The Revelation where God promises a new, changed heaven and earth, and practically everywhere in between, God is a God of constant, radical and complete change.
The good news is this: When God recommends, requires, or instigates change, the benefit will always outweigh the inconvenience. So...we will be better off to change as God leads because He only asks us for change when we will be improved by it.
There have been many times in my life when God asked me for change. At the time, it was hard to imagine that the change could possilby be for my good. However, as I look back at many of those times now, I see not only was the change for my good, but for His glory as well. Can you think of some times like this in your life? Perhaps, God is asking you to embrace some kind of change right now. Why not say "yes" to the God of change?
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I have been thinking lately about an old song from DC Talk called Nu Thang. It talks about how God is doing a new thing in our life. Talking to many people some from Faith and some of other churches, change is a difficult thing to handle. Some people are able to accept change better than others. God wants us to change our lives all the time. I agree that God is a God of change. Throughout scripture God talks about change. Jesus even preached a message of change. He told the high priests to change thier ways. He told people to change. So change is a good thing. It keeps things fresh. With God all New Things are possilbe along with his guidance change will take place.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. One of Jane's favorite verses is about how God's mercies are new every morning. Over and over in the Psalms, David refers to God doing a new thing (nu thang, if you will). It's not God who's stuck in a rut, it's us and part of what He's encouraging us to do is to get out of the rut and join the adventure.
ReplyDeleteThis is so good and full of truth! Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteAnother scripture that can go along with Change is Jude 23. Depending on what translation you have it says "Rescue them from the fire and save them." It is interesting as this whole passage of scripture is God telling us how to be a Christian. God tells us to change our ways and get others to change thier ways by leading them out of the bad situations and showing them the good situations. Change is important in a person's life. It handle easier if the individual lets God take control of the change. New things are coming, or as DC Talk said Nu Thang.
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