Life is full of changes! Sometimes we embrace the change and sometimes we fight it. I want to share a blog with you today about changes in attitude and this pastor’s wife hits the nail on the head.
Changes in Attitude…There’s a Jimmy Buffett song about changes and the chorus goes like this: These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, Nothing remains quite the same. Through all of the islands and all of the highlands, if we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.
Ministry life, if nothing else, changes. My senior pastor husband and I have served at our church 25 years, and I can guarantee the only thing that’s stayed the same is the church’s name and address!
We know change is inevitable, but how we respond to change can define where we stand in our trusting God. We are in a season of change right now, and my recurring theme to my husband is, “We are trusting God, either you is, or you ain’t!”
“When I graduate from high school or college.” “When I get married.” “When we have children.” “When the children grow up.” “When my job changes.” “When the kids get married.” “When we have grandchildren.” “When we retire.” We are so busy waiting on things to change, we miss out on the NOW. Jesus said the enemy wants to seek, kill and destroy us, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Satan wants us to be defeated in this world, to walk around as if we have no hope because our trials and burdens and changes defeat us. But Jesus also said that He has come to give us life, and life to the FULL. So, when we are unsatisfied with the now, we are buying into Satan’s lie that we deserve things to be different; we cannot trust God. Our joy cannot be based on our circumstances, which change all the time. Our joy must be based on our relationship with God, who never changes. Consider this: Philippians 4:4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
God is in control and His promises never fail. God’s Holy Spirit lives in us, so He is always with us, even in changing seasons. Paul doesn’t say, don’t be anxious about some things, but anything! That’s so…so….so inclusive! His word says in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Not some things, not most things, but in all things. Even my divorce Lord? Yes, child, even then. Losing my Mom 2 weeks after I moved back to Ohio from Arizona during the divorce? Yes, child. What “good” can come from divorce and death? He used my divorce to bring me home to Ohio, so that I could be with Mom before she died. She helped me get a home, a car and get set up in a new life in church with my two little girls. She gave me strength to press on and be strong in the Lord. What good came from her death? It ended years of suffering from congestive heart failure. Her death allowed her to receive her reward. Revelation 2:10 “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Losing my own personal cheerleader, marriage, home, and life as I knew it, continued to drive me closer to God, to hold to Him, because He was all I had. When God says don’t be anxious about anything…He means everything! Changes going on in your life are important to Jesus, and He wants you to talk with Him about them; He wants our peace as we trust in HIM. How’s your attitude about change? The rest of the song: Oh, yesterdays are over my shoulder, So I can’t look back for too long. There’s just too much to see waiting in front of me, and I know that I just can’t go wrong.
– Christy K.
I pray what Christy shared with us today will be a blessing to you as you continue going through ministry and all the changes that come with that.
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