Dealing with Change | What Does the Bible Say?
Change is inevitable. Change is hard. But… take comfort in knowing God never changes. He is trustworthy today and for eternity.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”—Hebrews 13:8
There are several things we need to remember when we are faced with changes in our lives, especially difficult changes.
- God never changes
- Meditating on the Word of God brings strength and courage
- Declare what God has promised you
- Change is an opportunity to say, “Yes!” and take your faith to the next level
- Cast your cares on Him
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Your Unchanging Lord
Have you heard the saying, “perception is reality”? Sometimes this is the case, but often this is false—especially when we perceive God’s inactivity as a lack of intervention.
The disciples and Jesus headed across the Sea of Galilee only to be met by a storm. The disciples perceived Jesus’ sleeping as a lack of care.
“But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’”—Mark 4:38
We know this wasn’t the case. After all, Jesus had invested time teaching them and had done miracles in their presence; they still walked in fear in the midst of the storm.
Remember this… God urges us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us (see 1 Peter 5:7).
Meditate on the Word of God
Meditating on the Word of God brings strength and courage in the midst of change. Did you know that the Hebrew word for meditating is hagah? It means to murmur, ponder, imagine, speak, and study. When we meditate, according to the Jewish roots of faith, we engage all of our senses and sink into the Word of God.
Mediating on Joshua 1:9 provides strength and courage…
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
We aren’t to stop after saying it once, or even during one devotional time. We are to murmur the words of God at all times.
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”—Joshua 1:8
Declare and Come into Alignment with His Promises
One of the most difficult things to believe is that on the other side of the storm clouds is a brilliant light illuminating God’s destiny for you. The situation you are in today will not always be.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”—2 Corinthians 4:16-18
We must reposition ourselves between what is and what will be.
Declare God’s promise and hold tight to it…
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”—Jeremiah 29:11
Say, “Yes!”
God is looking for those who will say, “Yes!” He wants to use this opportunity to take you to new levels of faith. He is never done with you, and He will continue to transform your faith and bring you into deeper revelation.
“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”—Ecclesiastes 3:1
The root of the Hebrew word for purpose means to give deliberate counsel. He wants to make His ways known to you, delivering you out of darkness and oppression. Through meditating and declaring His Word, step out with faith and say, “Yes!” to His transforming power.
He is intentionally working in you so that He can use you for His Kingdom. Ask Him what He wants to reveal to you during this time of change and allow the Spirit to renew your mind.
Cast Your Cares on Him
The Lord knows what we are going through and wants us to bring it all to Him and exchange all of our anxieties for His peace.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:6-7
As we read earlier, we are to cast our cares on our unchanging God. Psalm 55:22 commands us to cast our burdens on Him, and He will sustain us, never permitting the righteous to be moved.
If you want His peace, you must cast your cares for the exchange. The word cast comes from the Hebrew word shalak. At its root, it means a flower being blown away from the plant by the wind. You see, when you “cast” your cares, you are really opening yourself up to the Lord and letting Him carry away your burdens.
The Takeaway
When you begin to meditate on the Word of God, you find strength during times of change. The deeper you dig into the Jewish roots of your Christian faith, the more knowledge and understanding God reveals about who He is and what His plans are for you. Your excavation unlocks the transforming power of your heritage through Christ.