Day 32 of My Lenten Journey

32.  Resisting Change

It's inevitable: death and taxes.  I would add to that list--change.  It happens in our lives on a semi-regular basis.  It's not something that we can avoid, yet it is something that is extremely hard for our habitual human nature.  Yet, there is a time for everything.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
  a time to be born and a time to die,
  a time to plant and a time to uproot,
  a time to kill and a time to heal,
  a time to tear down and a time to build,
  a time to weep and a time to laugh,
  a time to mourn and a time to dance, 
  a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, 
  a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 
  a time to search and a time to give up, 
  a time to keep and a time to throw away,
  a time to tear and a time to mend, 
  a time to be silent and a time to speak, 
  a time to love and a time to hate,
  a time for war and a time for peace.  
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 I was blessed by a gift from Stephen through Taylor Davis (click his name to listen) with a musical setting of this passage which was sung at Cavett's baptism.  I was also blessed by Leah King who so beautifully cross-stitched the lyrics and now hangs in my kitchen as a daily reminder.

This scripture has helped me cope with and not resist my life changes over the past 11 years.

When Dadoo passed away and the healing of Mom.

The birth of our kids and the dying of Stephen's dad and my maternal grandparents within 3 months.

Uprooting from Houston to re-plant in Allen.

Mourning my Dadoo but watching my Mom dance with her new husband.

Throwing my resume out and seeing how it stuck and how I'm being gathered in to teaching now.

Maybe the office is next?  Tearing down and building?

The point is God has used all these experiences to guide, stretch and grow me in my relationship with Him.  Each situation is an opportunity for growth and to point to His glory in my situation.  This kind of change is desirable as we know that God is making us new and refining us to be more like Him.

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being

renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.  They will call on my name and I will answer them;  I will say, "They are my people,"  and they will say, "The Lord is our God."  Zechariah 13:9

So, in our human nature in resisting change, we need to remember that this, too shall pass.  It is for our benefit and the glory of God.  Don't resist change; embrace it.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28 

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:17-18

And, wouldn't it be boring if everything was the same all the time?