Change - Good or Bad?

So, is change good or bad? For my little Sophia, change is bad. She excels best when we are consistently the same – same bed time, same nights at home, same work schedule, etc. When any of these change, she becomes stressed and becomes needier along with more tantrums. For the last three weeks our lives have been in constant change and Sophia’s little attitude shows. Poor thing. All I can do is hold her in my arms and reassure her we love her and she is doing well. Deep breaths little one, deep breaths.

 

So, in the last few days I have reflected on how I handle change. Honestly, I don’t like it. I feel safe and secure when things are the same. Boring, I know. I would, if allowed, stay at home and be with the kids 24/7 if I could. Unfortunately I don’t think my family and friends would allow this. So, I have to allow some change. This week, however, I think I have reached my maximum number of changes my mind and heart can take. My son, daughter-in-law, and heart adopted daughter all showed up from Germany. My parents were here with us and then my brother showed up. Good change overall I think. But then you throw in my son getting married. Good and bad. He know has a beautiful and loving wife, but I lost my oldest son. Sniff sniff. So, finally today it all hit. I didn’t throw a tantrum, or cry, or hit, or scream, but instead I crashed – at my desk. Once I finally rallied I realized how Jesus’ disciples must have felt in the Garden the night Christ was arrested. Jesus kept waking them up, but they couldn’t stay awake. So, how do I learn to cope better with change? How do I not run myself into the ground? I want to be better equipped so I am ready to defend Christ when the enemy comes searching for Him to destroy.

 

I started looking for times in the bible where there was good change and bad change. Abram in Genesis 17 received a name change. He became Abraham – Father of all the nations. Jacob becomes Israel in Genesis 32. My children had names changes after we adopted them. Christ changed my name from sinner to saint when I accepted Him and was adopted into His family. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul talks about taking off the old and putting on the new. Of course, like I wrote before, this change can be painful and hard. I wonder what Abram and Jacob thought when God changed them. I would be pretty scared. But, in all these were good changes. They were changes needed for the survival of His people.

 

What about bad change? The loss of someone or a pet? At the wedding this weekend I really struggled during the father/daughter dance thinking about how close I came to loosing my earthly Daddy and how I did lose my father-in-law who basically was a father to me. I was sad knowing he wouldn’t get to dance with his daughters here on earth. But, God gently reminded me I had to rejoice because he was transformed into a renewed and healed man. My father-in-law was and still is dancing in heaven, rejoicing in his earthly family and the marriage of his grandson. Then I thought of Romans 12:2 where Paul tells us not to conform to the world. This would most definitely be a bad change if we followed the world in our actions and decisions. I have to seek God’s help in this to NOT change based on the World’s standards. It is so hard, though! I mean really, Verizon is getting the iPhone, we have to buy a new car, everything is on clearance and my mind screams I WANT I WANT I WANT! But isn’t this the same problem Sophia is having? Tantrums because her life changed. I am really not so different from a 4 yr old some days.

 

So, again I ask God, “How am I supposed to cope with all this change? What am I to do?” His answer is simple – faith. Believe He knows what changes are coming. He sees and knows all. Trust. Believe. Hope. These are His promises. Even though the world may change, or my life may change, He NEVER changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is perfect. When I am torn between normalcy and stepping into chaos, I can only seek His face, His truth, His guidance, and His wisdom. In doing that, I will NEVER fail.

 

Lord help me keep my chaos and future changes under control. Remind me of it, and change, when directed by you, is GOOD! Help me to keep in your will, not the will of the world.