3 Truths to Help You Process Change

Change is part of life. Some people thrive on change. Other people struggle. I’m sure it has to do with our personality, upbringing, or various other factors, but here’s the reality: I don’t think any of us were ready for this onslaught of change. We simply weren’t prepared, and the changes keep hitting on a daily basis.  

How can we make sense of our rapidly changing lives? I’ll start with this: there are different kinds of changes, and it’s important for us to recognize what kind of changes we are dealing with. 

First, there are changes we want to occur. These are changes that we voluntarily sign up for. They’re internal in nature. For example, if we want to live a healthier lifestyle, we might change our eating habits or exercise routines. If we want to get better sleep at night, we might change the amount of time we spend on Netflix or social media before bed. People don’t generally hate change, as long as they’re in the driver’s seat.  

Second, there are changes we don’t want to occur. These changes are often not by choice. They’re involuntary, and likely something we’d never sign up for on our own. Unlike internal changes that we often desire, these external changes have a way of wreaking havoc in our lives, if we allow them. 

Let’s be honest, examples of unwanted change are all around us. Right now, we’re faced with a global health crisis due to COVID-19. This rapidly spreading virus has brought about many life-altering changes. School, churches and businesses have shut their doors. Stay-at-home orders have brought our fast-paced culture to a screeching halt. Work looks much different for most people: unemployment for some, overtime for others, and working from home. Again, all of these changes are external. We’re changing, because we have to.  

How are you doing with all these changes? If you’re at all like me, you’re okay with short-term change, but change that’s going to last awhile is more difficult to swallow. It’s in moments like these that I’m so thankful to know the God who never changes. He’s the same yesterday and today and forever. (Heb. 13:8) 

God is Great. God is Good. 

Growing up, I remember sitting down on warm summer nights at my grandparent’s dinner table. My grandpa was a dairy farmer, so dinner often included a menu of red meat, potatoes and fresh sweet corn. And for dessert, chocolate fudge ripple ice cream from the Schwan’s man. However, before we ate a bite, we prayed this simple prayer: 

God is great and God is good. 

Let us thank Him for our food. 

By his hands we all fed. 

Give us Lord our daily bread. 

Amen.  

God is great. God is good. The God of the Bible is the perfect mix of divine power and grace, strength and love. And it’s during changing times, that humanity most needs to trust the good and great God.  We’re called to follow the unchanging God during changing times. 

The Character of God 

How we think about God informs the way we live. It’s been said that wrong theology leads to wrong living. Therefore, it’s important to be reminded often of who God is and what he’s like. I could say a lot about God’s attributes, but for the sake of this post, I’ll just focus on three.   

1. Unchanging

In James 1:17, God’s Word says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” This means that God’s being, purposes and promises are unchanging. He’s steadfast. He’s constant. He’s faithful. 

The powerful reality of knowing Jesus is that God becomes your Heavenly Father. We’re his beloved sons and daughters. And unlike many earthly relationships, God’s relationship with his children never changes. We are now seen as righteous, because of Jesus’ accomplished work on the cross. 

As you seek to process change, remember this truth: God can always be trusted, because he always keeps his word. He never changes.    

2. All-Powerful     

In his Great Commission, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Mt. 28:18, 20) This tells us that God is powerful. God’s always in control and able to accomplish his purposes. Why? Because he is great in power. (Job 37:23) He’s the Almighty. He’s the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. 

No matter the circumstance, God’s plan will never be frustrated by evil. You and I can have peace and confidence in the face of crisis and change, because God is all-powerful. 

3. Loving  

Maybe you’ve heard that “God is love?” (1 Jn. 4:8-9) He is. And the ultimate demonstration of God’s love occurred on a wooden cross, when the Son of God died for the sins of the world. Consider this: Jesus willingly stepped out of heaven to live with humanity. He lived a perfect life, never sinned. Then, as the ultimate expression of love, Jesus went to the cross to pay for humanity’s sin. I would argue that Jesus’ incarnation and his crucifixion represent the greatest change of all time. And Jesus’ obedience to his Father’s will is what brings about eternal change in our lives today. 

For a moment, just pause. Allow your soul to be quiet, and listen to these loving words: 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

Romans 5:8 “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 8:39 “[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Galatians 2:20 “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” 

1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, that [Jesus] laid down his life for us.”

Friends, have you experienced the love of God? Because, let me tell you, he is eager to have a relationship with you. His love is unconditional. And it’s available through Jesus Christ.  

Remember this truth as you walk through these uncertain days: “God is good, even when life is not.” (I Choose to Worship, Rend Collective) The God of the Bible is full of love, grace, mercy, compassion and comfort. Run to him during seasons of darkness. Pursue him during trials. His love is available to all who believe! 

Practical Challenges for Your Changing World  

1. Put Your Face to the Floor  

If it’s true that God is all-powerful and all-good, then the best thing we can do during these hard times is to pray, to put our faces to the floor. As followers of Christ, you can boldly approach God’s throne, knowing that he hears your prayers and will always respond according to his perfect will. Go ahead and make a goal right now. When will you set aside time every day to pray to the God who is able? 

2. Seek to Be a Non-Anxious Presence 

If it’s true that God has strength and grace for the storm, then make it your aim to be a non-anxious presence in a world full of stress and anxiety. Changes will continue to come our way, but God never changes, and he can always be trusted. In Christ, you can rest and find peace. Right now, I challenge you to make a goal. How will you daily cast your anxieties on Christ? How will you share the hope you have with those in your life?

3. Repeat After Me, “God’s in control.” 

Say it out loud. GOD IS IN CONTROL! Nothing has caught him by surprise. Therefore, as chaos increases in our culture, let’s declare God’s control. Let’s proclaim his goodness. Let’s shout of his greatness.

Yes, these are dark days. Difficult change is happening all around us, but there is hope! Jesus is still the light in the darkness. He’s still the only hope in the chaos.