Change

"Well I see changes happening every day.

And I see changes coming my way"

--From the LOGGINS & MESSINA LP, "Mother Lode" (1974)

A lot of things have changed since you and I came into the world – changes both within and without. And it is interesting to note that the older we get, the more resistant we are to change. When we are young, we seek to change the world. We are always on the lookout for fresh, new, innovative ideas and ways of living, being, and doing things. But as we age, we find ourselves less comfortable with change. In fact, many of us claim that things are “changing too fast" and often we wonder aloud, “What was wrong with the way things were?"

Do you know why we get like that as we age? The answer is simple, really. We’ve become quite comfortable and content (used to) the way things are. A lot of new stuff is often quite challenging and beyond our comprehension. New music, new slang, and new technology are especially troublesome to those who have been around for three decades or more.

The changes that take place, both within ourselves and the world in which we live, can sometimes be very profound and other times barely perceptible. Whether the change is large or small, the direction of our private and public life has been altered as a result.

While each of us strives to maintain control of our life and only make changes according to our own will and purpose, often times life “throws us a curve ball" and we find ourselves adjusting to a change that was not of our choosing. How we respond to all those unexpected changes in our life comes from within our heart-of-hearts. Whether we respond positively or negatively to those changes, is based solely upon the condition (and position) of our heart.

Naturally, I am not speaking of the muscle that pumps blood through our body. Rather, I am speaking of that upon which we base our outlook on life. Those emotions we feel as we make our way through the day. The perspective we have of ourselves and of others. Some people might call it our “world view”.

How we feel about our life and life in general, can – and often does – change in a (ahem) heartbeat. For example, in my younger days, I used to maintain that “the only thing one can count on in this life, is change.” But as I said, that was in my younger days, prior to meeting and coming to know someone and something that is unchanging, steadfast, and faithful. That someone is God and that something is His will and His purpose for my life.

Now I realize that some of you reading this may be groaning at this point – or you may have even stopped reading. But if you are still reading this, then you either know what I am talking about or you would like to know more. Either way, I praise God that you are still with me here, for there is great joy and great peace that comes from being able to finally trust someone completely.

Before I felt sure that *I* could trust God completely, my life was racked with doubt and pain; for every human that I had ever trusted, had betrayed me at some point. And with each betrayal my heart became more bitter, cold and hard. Today, I believe that each one of those betrayals were moving me closer to the day that I would place my unconditional trust in Christ.

Faith is the word used most often to describe placing our complete confidence in God.
A person once told me that “faith is nothing more than hope." When it comes to the things of this world, that may be true. But when it comes to the things of God, faith is unconditional, absolute, trust.

If you have ever done any “trust exercises" as part of a group experience, then you know what I mean when I say that “in the world, faith is nothing more than hope." But if you have ever “let go and let God” be your sole reason for living, and have placed all your trust in Him – without any reservations – then you have come to know what it is to live life in total peace and security.

Regardless of your circumstances, regardless of what is going on in the world around you, regardless of any and all “curve balls" life may throw at you – you never have to worry or be concerned about the outcome; for you know that God is in control, and that He loves you as no one on earth ever can or ever will. You know that everything that happens in your life while you are here on earth, is all for your benefit and is only temporary. Everything that you suffer here on earth is nothing compared to the joy you will experience when God calls you home and says to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”

Suggested Bible Readings:

• Job 23:13
• Hebrews 3:18; 6:13-20
• James 1:17
• Use a Bible concordance for the word ’steadfast’