Contentment and Change

“Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change                     His mind.” (rf. I Sam. 15:29 NASB) 

“For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”

(rf. Mal. 3:6 NASB)

 

In the last installment, we looked at the subject of contentment and how this is a quality that we, as followers of Jesus, should strive to put into practice in our lives. In this episode, we want to explore the necessity of change in the experience of ourselves as human beings. 

Though, for many of us it is a daunting prospect, especially as we grow older, change is an unwanted visitor, an interloper that tends to disrupt what we would view as “normal” in our lives. We don’t enjoy the prospect of adapting ourselves to suit the new circumstances. We would rather have things stay the same because for a lot of us sameness is quite comfortable.

This is very true for a number of professed Christians who, when they find a church of which they become a part, it is their desire for the church and their experience within to remain unchanged…always. They like things the way that they are. They want no disruptions to the status quo. 

There are a number of things such professed Christians who possess this attitude do not realize. First of all, their becoming a part of said church brought change to that church simply because a new person had joined their ranks. Things in that church are no longer the same as they were before. Secondly, unless these newly added members vow to keep their views, opinions and ideas to themselves for the duration of their time as members, they will undoubtedly add their insights to the mix of those already in the organization, bringing about change to one degree or another. 

In other words, there is no humanly way possible to prevent change. It is a dynamic that must be embraced since, quite often, with it comes life and renewal of vision and purpose. Granted, not all change is positive; one should never seek change simply for change’s sake. However, if one realizes that change is as much a part of the human experience as breathing, then it becomes easier to accept when it arrives on our doorstep…especially, if God Himself is the One who has ordained it to occur.

Speaking of Him, the Lord is often the originator and activator of change, but, oddly enough, He Himself remains unchanged. As the Scriptures declare above, God may “repent” or “relent” in reference to His decisions or determinations on occasion, but He “does not change” in terms of His character, knowledge and being. He always remains the same. Thankfully that is the case, because His promises and accomplishments on our behalf would be compromised if this fact were not so. 

You see, He knows and wants His people to experience change periodically so that they will consistently be looking to Him for guidance as to the path or decision they should pursue. He wants us to be totally dependent upon Him who needs no such dependence or accountability Himself. He is quite sufficient on His own.

Therefore, we need not only to be on the lookout for change on the horizon, but, when it arrives, to also prayerfully assess whether or not it is from the Lord and in accordance with His Word. As it is determined to be “heaven-sent”, then we should be open and with willing hearts engage change with joy and gladness, knowing that there will be significant growth that comes with the change. This is how it is with God’s creation; it is the very same with God’s people. May we be wise and take the appropriate action when change arrives on our scene.