This is a re-print of a post written in January 11, 2013. I hope you are blessed to read it again.
| It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die 'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will |
| Very often in life, we are faced with the possibility of change, but at times, we are ill prepared for it. Some changes are good, some necessary, and some unwanted. No matter the reason, change will come in our life. It’s not only predicated upon how I handle change, but more importantly, my attitude before, during and after the change occurs. The seasons are a vivid reminder of coming change. Fall turns into winter, winter changes to spring and spring becomes summer. I have often reminded myself that being human, allows me to adapt to changes in weather. But how often have I remembered this when my change doesn’t involve the weather. Sometimes, I need to change, but I simply refuse. Why do I need to change? My attitude, my words, and my behavior all affect how I respond to change. I think there are instances when an intervention is a wakeup call for change. You decide to meet friends for Happy Hour, have a few drinks and on the way home, a policeman stops you because you’re driving erratically. That is an intervention of sorts that perhaps you need a behavioral change. You pride yourself on saying exactly what needs to be said, no matter what. “I just tell it like it is! I’m just being real!” This time, you went a little too far and now, someone is crushed because you decided being real was more important than relationships. Unlike most people, you’re gifted to see every dark cloud behind the silver lining. You know whenever something good happens, Murphy’s Law is initiated. You know that bad things happen to people because they did something to deserve it. So when your wife loses her job due to layoffs, you struggle with thoughts that it was something she did to deserve it; instead of being encouraging, supportive and loving. No matter how many times I read the book of Job, I am always blown away by his attitude. He lost everything that most would say: mattered. Yet, I have to believe that Job was not indifferent to what happened in his life. He lost his wealth, his children and his health but he accepted these changes as adversities which he had no control over. To him, it was important to honor the Lord in the midst of these changes. He even said, “If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes.” When I struggle, am I willing to wait until my change comes? Job speaks of the resurrection when he asks, “If a man dies, will he live again?” It’s as if he is saying, whether the change comes in this life or not, I know the change will happen in the resurrection! Paul once wrote: “…but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” So when I am struggling with changing circumstances, I will hope. I may be knocked to the ground but I will hope. Some may tell me to give up but I will hope. Why? “…I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” Christ lives! No matter what happens in my life, that truth gives me hope for change. MTJ |
| Note: This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays (hosted by Charlotte). |  |
