The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited as saying, “Change is the only constant in life.” I believe that. Do you?
My bride and I are in a new season. As of December, the Lord has moved us to Wetumpka, Alabama, where I have begun to serve as what was once called a Director of Missions, an Associational Missionary, and now an Associational Mission Strategist. (I’ have sung, “D.O.M… A.M.S…M.O.U.S.E.” too many times.) No matter what it’s called, I am grateful to serve as the mission strategist for the Elmore Baptist Association. Tina will be serving in the local school system on a contractual basis, continuing her lifelong ministry to children and families. (I have often said that her ministry is much greater than mine…and I believe it.)
Change is difficult. While I am thrilled about our new ministry, it was terribly hard to arrive at the place to agree to follow God’s call away from our family at FBC Atmore. The folks in the church and in the town had become family to us. After seven years there, it would have been easy to stay in most every way. It is hard to leave family.
I have seen what sometimes happens when a person fails to follow God’s call, though. I have known times when someone knew what God wanted them to do but was too comfortable to obey him. Many times their ministries dried up. A couple of times their finances did the same. Most of the time it was their peace that abandoned them. I once learned this lesson the hard way in the past.
It seems disobedience is more costly than the temporary pains of change. I liken it to childbirth. (Ladies, please forgive me, I realize I have no first-person experience or understanding of giving birth.) A lot of pain is involved in childbirth. I have witnessed it twice and it did not look fun. It would not be something I would volunteer to experience, yet it delivers blessings more than can be imagined. That little baby-the new life-the joy-the warmth of love…indescribable! Something terrible occurred that brought something wonderful into being.
Necessary surgeries bring pain. Patients who require open heart surgery experience incredible amounts of pain but eventually feel amazing improvement. Most say they feel so good after surgery and did report not having known they were feeling as poorly as they were until they recovered and felt so much better. The pain brought improvement more than they could imagine.
God’s good and holy purposes will come about. After all, he is God. Obedience in change allows us to join him in his workflow. Change is not about us, but about God’s Kingdom being worked out here on earth.
A Christian’s worldview is different than others. The title of this little post is derived from a song by David Bowie that speaks of the frustration of change through time. The futility of fatalism is what I suspect drove Bowie to write about change. Believers, however, do not subscribe to fatalism, but to the lordship of a loving Father.
In Ecclesiastes three, Solomon writes of time, change, and seasons in life:
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”
In contrast, Bowie writes, “Time may change me but I can’t trace time.” Solomon writes “…there is a season for everything and a time for every matter under heaven.” The difference is an understanding of either time dictating (Bowie) or God dictating (Solomon). In the end, after exploring all of life, Solomon writes, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
Christiane, is God leading you toward some type of change? Is he calling you into a ministry? Is he moving you into a new vocation? Is he pulling you toward a geographical move that makes little sense from an earthly perspective? Is he calling you to be more bold in your witness? Is he is simply calling you to adjust your habits and spiritual disciplines to deepen your relationship with him. Pray. Listen to him. Examine scripture. Talk to mature brothers and sisters who can help you discern God’s will.
As change comes your way, believe that God has a plan. Understand that your job is to reverently respect God as the ultimate power, planner, and provider of all in the universe. Follow God’s leading in loving, grateful, obedience because he has always been loving and faithful to you, even when you failed to notice. Your job is not to trust the fickle flow of time or fate, but to trust the wisdom and grace of the Father.
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