Change opens doors. Change is unsettling. Change promotes improvement. Change is disruptive. Change is good. Change is bad.
Individually our perception of change depends upon who is initiating the change, and the way it is done. When you are creating the change, you often view it as a positive. When it is thrust upon you - not so much. I’ve found in the business world that change can be a driving force towards innovation and improvements. But it also causes anxiety among the work force. It is important that the methods and goals are clear in order to explain the necessary change.
Change in relationships can also be tricky. Change that is not understood, or mutual, could be seen as a threat to one, or both. Yet lack of change can lead to complacency, routine, boredom – not great relationship builders. Building a relationship requires growth and an important element of growth is change.
How does change affect your faith? In order to grow in your faith, you must experience some type of change. It is important to try new things, take the extra step to expand your faith and take it to places that may surprise you.
Individually our perception of change depends upon who is initiating the change, and the way it is done. When you are creating the change, you often view it as a positive. When it is thrust upon you - not so much. I’ve found in the business world that change can be a driving force towards innovation and improvements. But it also causes anxiety among the work force. It is important that the methods and goals are clear in order to explain the necessary change.
Change in relationships can also be tricky. Change that is not understood, or mutual, could be seen as a threat to one, or both. Yet lack of change can lead to complacency, routine, boredom – not great relationship builders. Building a relationship requires growth and an important element of growth is change.
How does change affect your faith? In order to grow in your faith, you must experience some type of change. It is important to try new things, take the extra step to expand your faith and take it to places that may surprise you.
2 Peter 3:18
18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen
Joining the prison ministry was quite a leap for our small, couples, bible study group. But by taking the leap, and not allowing a more conservative thought process to control our “ministry brainstorming”, we have become involved in a ministry that has not only allowed us to be there for men that truly need the love of fellow Christians, but has allowed us to grow and become closer to God.
And yet, when I am confronted with change in an actual worship service, I balk. Is it proper to change from the structure we are used to? I think about Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy, 6:22-24, “Always start the service with praise and worship, followed by prayer. Finish with a powerful message that that leads the worshippers to accept Christ Jesus into their lives. This is the proper way to worship the Lord.”
Now before you go digging into your bible to find this scripture, I have to admit that I made that verse up (1 Timothy ends at 6:21). But I’ve recently come to understand that the important part of service isn’t the structure, but rather how it allows the participants to become closer to God. I’ve become aware that the Holy Spirit sometimes works in such a way that we are taken on a different direction than we originally intended. Planning isn’t a bad thing, but we need to listen to God in order to follow his directions. Sometimes he takes us on a path that is not what we expect.
If I allow my plans to overrule a direction that God is pointing me because I don’t wish to change, than I have stepped off of my walk with Christ in order to try to lead the way myself. Whenever that happens, I get lost. As the lyrics read in the song, “Empty Me” – “I want more of you and less of me.”
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Great thoughts! Change is hard, but if we're not changing, we're not growing. I think how the apostle Paul held all that he had so loosely. Focused on Jesus alone, he could deal with the ever-present change he dealt with.
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head in your last paragraph. Empty Me is such a great place for me to return as well. "More of You and less of me." Amen!