Let me guess. You sit in the same spot in church each week. You drive the same route to work. You eat the same things for breakfast. And you pray the same way at meals. Right? Me too.
(Photo by Photodune)
As creatures of habit, we like the efficiency and security of rituals. But when our routine gets changed by someone or something, we get miffed. Here’s why:
- The only change we welcome is the change we expect. Like the seasons. We plan for it and can adjust accordingly.
- We also like the change we initiate, like a new job or even a dry diaper, because it gets us what we want.
God, however, has a different view. We have a fear of change, but He has a strange commitment to it.
Where Change Begins—and Why
Although God is willing to accept us as we are, He also loves us enough not to leave us that way.
God’s commitment to your change begins with His strange love for you. The big theological word called “sanctification” is the Bible’s way of saying God will initiate change in your life. Having believed in Jesus Christ, believers are being transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). That means change.
Because God knows our fear of change might keep us from becoming like Him, He offers us comfort and assurance.
3 Promises: God Relieves Our Fear of Change
You struggling with a change God has initiated? You are not alone.
When the Lord told Jacob to change locations and move to Egypt, the old patriarch had already lived a long time in Canaan. Look at what God told him:
I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt. —Genesis 46:3–4
(Photo: By de:Benutzer:Felix Stember. Own work. GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
God alleviated Jacob’s fear of change with 3 promises.
- “I am God.” Sounds simple, but how often we forget it. He is God; we are not. He is in control; we are not. That’s why He can say: “do not be afraid to go.” When God initiates change in your life, especially when it seems frightening or disappointing, remembering that God is God can help put your fear of change at ease.
- “I will make you a great nation there.” Notice God said, “there”—not “here.” You must be willing to follow God where He leads, because where He wants to take you is where He wants to bless you. It’s there, not here.
- “I will go down with you.” God gave Jacob no details or specifics, and neither does He give them to you. But you have the promise of God’s presence where He leads you. God goes with you when He requires you to change. In fact, the last words Jesus spoke before His ascension were: “I will be with you always.” You are not alone.
Is a fear of change keeping you from following God’s leading? I understand; we all struggle against that. But you will never become all God intends you to be otherwise.
The 3 promises God told Jacob are those He tells you today: “I am God . . . I will make you great there. I will go with you.”
Tell me what you think: Would you be willing to follow God if you knew you couldn’t fail? To leave a comment, just click here.
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This post is adapted from Wayne’s book, Waiting on God: What to Do When God Does Nothing.
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