My world is changing around me and I have to face it. And like most people I don’t really like change. Something about facing the unknown makes one feel very uncomfortable. Most would rather keep things the way they are because one knows what to expect and how to deal with it.
But…change is inevitable. One thing we know for sure…things are going to change!
This is especially true in our Christian experience. Jesus compared His kingdom to a man planting seeds, allowing them to grow and harvesting the crop (see Mark 4:26-29). He said: “All by itself the soil produces grain-first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.” This tells us growing is a part of life. We will be constantly changing. Later Jesus used another metaphor to illustrate our connection to Himself. He said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:1-4).
This clearly tells us that we will be growing and constantly changing when we are connected to Jesus. And we will be producing “fruit” that brings glory to God. If we are not changing and bearing fruit, we are not connected to Jesus and our life is dead and useless.
Jesus makes it happen
So, change is good in Jesus. It is His job to change us from the inside out. He has a plan to continue to grow us as we face the changes the world throws at us. And it does! James tells us to “count it all joy” when we face various trials in life” (James 1:2-5). When we are connected to Jesus, the trials and changes that happen around us actually develop the fruit in us.
Paul also said: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). To be transformed is the same process of metamorphism that caterpillars go through to become butterflies. He is basically telling us not to get stuck in the ways of the world, but to change and become what God wants us to become.
There’s that word again…change.
So we have a choice. We can continue to live in this world and allow the natural change to take us down the predictable road to death, or we can give our lives to God and allow Him to fill us with His Spirit and lead us down a road of change that leads us to His eternal kingdom.
Oh…the best part. We have a God who never changes, or at least when it comes to who He is and His character. Notice: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Knowing this…we can face every change with growing confidence.
