Why Everything Must Change and What To Do About It

Friday night I slept peacefully. Everything just felt … right. The beds were full and doors locked. The way it should be. 

Our oldest had surprised the other children by driving the 8-plus-hour trip home from college to see his brother in the high school musical. We were all under the same roof for the first time in a “long” 2-1/2 months. For some of you , that may be but a moment, for me it seemed to last forever. I missed having my family together.

Yet, with one off and another close on his heels, I’m well aware I need to get used to empty beds and fewer bodies to feed.

But there is comfort and a sense of “rightness” when days unfold in a predictable, consistent pattern—when things stay the same. Many of us find security in sameness. Me included.

Where True Security Is Found

Therein lies the problem. Our security shouldn’t be found in our circumstances but in Our Lord. 

When we get too comfortable in our everyday lives, we begin to believe we can handle life on our own strength. We feel less need for God.

Our security shouldn't be found in our circumstances but in Our Lord. When we get too comfortable in our everyday lives, we begin to believe we can handle life on our own strength. We feel less need for God. Click To Tweet

Have you ever wondered why God created change to permeate our lives? Why don’t we always stay the same age? Reach 25 and remain there? What about the changing seasons? The variety in the weather? As the common saying goes, If you don’t like the weather, wait a moment, it’ll change.

Purpose for Change

Change pervades everything: our health, hair and leaf color, water levels, precipitation amounts and types, and, of course, family dynamics.

It’s all here one moment and different the next. What begins as a seed becomes a majestic tree. What begins as a crying babe becomes a confident man. What begins as suffering becomes promise and life.

God orchestrates change in our lives, not so we can learn how to adapt, but so we can learn how to cling to Him. 

God orchestrates change in our lives, not so we can learn how to adapt, but so we can learn how to cling to Him. Click To Tweet

Truthfully, my earthly self still longs for sameness, for the predictable, for the plans I draw up. I still want all my children home to nurture and enjoy. I still desire my health and that of my loved ones. Yet, there is little gained from holding onto the temporal and the comfortable.

Lasting joy isn’t found in avoiding change but in reaching for the hem of Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who always will be I AM.

Lasting joy isn't found in avoiding change but in reaching for the hem of Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who always will be I AM. Click To Tweet

So this morning as I waved good-bye to one I love, I reached a little higher and gripped a little tighter to the One who loves me radically.

“[There is] a time to plant and a time to uproot” (Ecclesiastes 3:2b).

Reflections: Are you a fan of change? Have you been going through some tough changes in your life? How are you handling it?

Linking with Ann Voskamp for my Joy Dare list  for Multitude Mondays (#1140–1160, read them all by clicking here):

• Texting with my boy at college; Relaxation of holding a kitten; Hearing “I love you, Mom” from youngest
• Receiving inspiring bks & products to share; Playing “hide-me-in-a-dark-room” w/ my daughter; Insanely goofy giggles
• Grace in the hard choices; Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca memories; Fun Christian camp songs sung around an evening fire
• Watching my boy enjoy his role in the high school musical & do fabulously; Conviction to change; Amazing tapdancing!
• Daniel’s home for a couple days!; My children’s love for each other; Fun of pleasantly surprising someone
• Fixing a meal for all 6 of us again; Seeing the musical w/ my sister & her family; Mother/son conversation
• Abundant food; Abundant family; Change

Also linking with these fabulous sites of encouragement: 

By His grace ≈

Julie