Some people are born to thrive in change. The vast majority of us have some form of discomfort with big changes in life — career switch, family dynamics, home relocation, etc. — these changes can bring about great joy yet also stir up trepidation. In 40 years I have gone through devastating changes such as job loss, finding out my parents divorced, death of my fiancé by suicide, the death of my sister-in-law from Cancer, deaths of family pets including my best friend recently and many more events in my life. I have also experienced seasons of exciting changes such as ‘glamourous’ career opportunities, serving in amazing ministries, getting married, moving out of state for the first time, pregnancy and now walking out new motherhood. All of these changes, whether times of joy or sorrow, came with its own brand of stress in the form of fear, anxiety, and angst. Have you experienced these feelings in both times of joy and sorrow? Can both joy and fear exist simultaneously? Why does this happen? The Bible answers these questions.
One of my life mottos is “I form my opinions around what the Bible says, not the other way around”. When in a season of conflicting emotions with the exciting, mysterious, sometimes scary unknown staring me in the face, these verses provide crucial reminders that ground and carry me through:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:1-3)
What makes God our refuge and strength and therefore a very present help in trouble so that we need not fear no matter what happens in and around us? To answer this, let’s look at similar verses in the Old and New Testaments…
Malachi 3:6 says, “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
Hebrew 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
We’re human and so we are fallible. A few of the attributes of God is that He is immutable, He is perfectly sinless and good so He never lies, and is sovereign because He is Holy. The above verse — Malachi 3:6 — assures us that because God never changes we will not be consumed. This verse is specifically talking about repentance in relation to salvation, to put it simply, but we can certainly apply it to our lives when we are consumed with anxiety in a season of change. If we are in Christ, we do not need to be tempted with that sin of worry (anxiety). We don’t have to live in that downward spiral in our minds. God has given us a way out and that way is Jesus, the way, the truth and the life. Because of Jesus and the truth of scripture we can have an abundant spiritual life and choose to be joyful and at peace. We can believe that with confidence because we do not have to be a prisoner to anxiety by our own limited power and fallible efforts — we can cling to Jesus and the cross which has set us free indeed. We can rely utterly on our Lord’s power and His righteousness, being grateful for His abundant grace that continually sustains if we ask for it by prayer and supplication. The other verse mentioned above — Hebrews 13:8 — assures us that Jesus never changes and He never changes His mind about YOU. When everything around you is chaotic and uncertain, He remains constant. His promises don’t shift with circumstances or even our state of mind. His promises are rooted in who He is. The psalmist says, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer” (Psalm 18:2). That’s not just poetic; it’s truth. God is your fortress, a place where you can find safety no matter how hard life hits. Our relationship with change can be a beautiful adventure if we preach The Gospel to ourselves, keeping Jesus and God’s promises at the forefront of our minds.
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- What is your current relationship with change and how is that either being challenged or being nurtured right now?
Prayer Prompt:
Pray about the above and ask God to help you and grow you in your current journey.