Change. Just hearing the word can make some of us instinctively clench up. We crave comfort, familiarity, and the reassuring rhythm of the status quo. We build routines, traditions, and even entire belief systems around the idea of things staying the same. Yet, as much as we resist it, change is an undeniable force in life – and a profound catalyst for growth.
But what if our resistance to change isn't just a human quirk, but something that actually hinders our spiritual journey? What if the very God we worship is a God who orchestrates and even demands change, not to disrupt us, but to transform us?
The Uncomfortable Truth Is That We Resist Change
It’s natural to dislike change. It pushes us out of our comfort zones, exposes our vulnerabilities, and often requires us to let go of what we know. Think of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They had seen God’s miraculous power, yet they frequently longed for the "good old days" of slavery in Egypt, simply because it was familiar.
Numbers 11:4-6 NIV The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. [6] But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
We, too, can cling to spiritual comfort zones, even if they're not truly serving our growth.
We Grow Through Change
Genuine growth, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, is impossible without change. A seed must break open and change its form to become a plant. A caterpillar must undergo a radical transformation to become a butterfly. In the same way, God often uses change to prune, refine, and mature us into the likeness of Christ.
Romans 12:1-2 NIV Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Transformation is change. It's an active process of shedding the old and embracing the new, allowing God to renew our thoughts and perspectives.
Jesus Is The Ultimate Game-Changer
And then there's Jesus. If there was ever a figure who embodied radical, world-altering change, it was Him. Jesus didn't just come to tweak the system; He came to revolutionize it.
Matthew 15:1-9 NIV Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!” [Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? [For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”
Luke 14:7-11 NIV When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
John 1:17 NIV For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 3:3 NIV [3] Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Revelation 21:5 NIV He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Following Jesus means constantly being open to His transformative power, allowing Him to challenge our assumptions, refine our character, and lead us into a deeper relationship with Him.
Embracing God's Call to Change
So, the next time you find yourself resisting change, consider this: God is not a God of stagnation, but a God of dynamic, life-giving growth. He often uses the uncomfortable process of change to draw us closer to Him, to equip us for His purposes, and to make us more like His Son.
Let us pray for open hearts and minds, willing to embrace the changes God brings into our lives, trusting that in His hands, every transformation leads to something more beautiful, more profound, and ultimately, more like Christ.
But what if our resistance to change isn't just a human quirk, but something that actually hinders our spiritual journey? What if the very God we worship is a God who orchestrates and even demands change, not to disrupt us, but to transform us?
The Uncomfortable Truth Is That We Resist Change
It’s natural to dislike change. It pushes us out of our comfort zones, exposes our vulnerabilities, and often requires us to let go of what we know. Think of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. They had seen God’s miraculous power, yet they frequently longed for the "good old days" of slavery in Egypt, simply because it was familiar.
Numbers 11:4-6 NIV The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. [6] But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
We, too, can cling to spiritual comfort zones, even if they're not truly serving our growth.
We Grow Through Change
Genuine growth, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, is impossible without change. A seed must break open and change its form to become a plant. A caterpillar must undergo a radical transformation to become a butterfly. In the same way, God often uses change to prune, refine, and mature us into the likeness of Christ.
Romans 12:1-2 NIV Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Transformation is change. It's an active process of shedding the old and embracing the new, allowing God to renew our thoughts and perspectives.
Jesus Is The Ultimate Game-Changer
And then there's Jesus. If there was ever a figure who embodied radical, world-altering change, it was Him. Jesus didn't just come to tweak the system; He came to revolutionize it.
- He challenged religious traditions that had become burdensome and devoid of a true heart condition.
Matthew 15:1-9 NIV Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!” [Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? [For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”
- He turned societal norms upside down, elevating the marginalized and humbling the proud.
Luke 14:7-11 NIV When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
- He declared a New Covenant, moving beyond the Law to grace and truth
John 1:17 NIV For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
- He spoke of being "born again", a complete spiritual rebirth – a fundamental change in our very being!
John 3:3 NIV [3] Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
- Jesus proclaimed, "Behold, I am making all things new" (Revelation 21:5). This isn't just a promise for the future; it's an ongoing work in our lives now.
Revelation 21:5 NIV He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Following Jesus means constantly being open to His transformative power, allowing Him to challenge our assumptions, refine our character, and lead us into a deeper relationship with Him.
Embracing God's Call to Change
So, the next time you find yourself resisting change, consider this: God is not a God of stagnation, but a God of dynamic, life-giving growth. He often uses the uncomfortable process of change to draw us closer to Him, to equip us for His purposes, and to make us more like His Son.
Let us pray for open hearts and minds, willing to embrace the changes God brings into our lives, trusting that in His hands, every transformation leads to something more beautiful, more profound, and ultimately, more like Christ.
RSS Feed