The Beauty of Change

The crisp, cool breeze on my skin and the smell of bonfires awakens all my senses.  Walking amidst the falling leaves as they gently float to the ground causes my heart to skip a beat.  A cozy oversized sweater coupled with a mug of hot apple cider fills the deepest pockets of my soul with warmth.  

Fall is the most beautiful shifting of seasons.  It may seem contradictory given that the leaves shed, and the warmth of summer is replaced by the chill of change.  However, watching the trees transform into a cornucopia of colors reminds me of just how beautiful transitions can be.  

Like the trees, we must shed our leaves in the autumn winds, weather the freeze of winter storms, drink the downpour of spring rains, and endure the burn of the summer sun, to heal and grow our branches to live a fruitful life.  

We are not meant to be stagnant. 

Trust me, I fully understand the allure and comfort of stability.  Living through chaos and unanticipated challenges has conditioned my flesh to crave a life of predictability.  I often buck change.  My selfish desire is for a simple, stable life.  Yet, I know these things do not bring peace. Instead, they bring boredom and stagnation, a breeding ground for the bacteria of complacency.

Change can feel scary and unsettling.  Perhaps, you have experienced the paralyzing fear that sets in as you anticipate tramping through new terrain.  Knowing you must clear the path as you wander through the thick brush ahead naturally gives rise to anxiety.  A cancer diagnosis, a sudden death, a job loss, these abrupt changes can shake you to your core.  You may stumble through the ruble of grief, sifting through the ashes of the life you knew and wonder, “How will I ever get through this?”

On the other hand, change can feel exciting and invigorating!  You may be energized by the wonder and hope of the new adventures that await you.  Hope and joy are evoked as you anticipate the possibilities of what may come.  The birth of a child, a job promotion, pursuing your education, these changes are often welcomed.  While they present new challenges, you fully embrace them and exude gratitude.

So, why does our response differ based on the specifics of the change with which we are presented?  Is it timing?  Is it the expected versus the unexpected?  Is it death versus birth?  Sad versus happy?  Yes, yes, yes, and yes.  Of course the change of losing a loved one feels dramatically different than the change of welcoming a new child into your life. 

 The circumstances surrounding change may impact our innate feelings about it, but how we respond is still a choice. 

Regardless of where your feelings gravitate, ultimately, you choose your relationship with change.  You can choose to fully embrace it or attempt to avoid it. 

As I recover from disruption to my status quo life, I breathe a sigh of relief and settle back into my comfortably stagnant existence.  No sooner do I find my rhythm am I presented with yet another change.  I sometimes find myself shaking my fist at God, pleading with Him to return me to the calm waters I desire.  In those moments of arguing my case with the Big Man, He graciously reminds me that His love for me is bigger than my desire for comfort.  I hear him whisper the verse I hold nearest to my heart, my life verse.

As I reflect on where I stood a year ago, a month ago, even a week ago, I am in awe of what God has done.  The big things, the little things, and everything in between...each change has propelled me to the place I stand today.  Gratitude fills me, and I can’t help but praise God.  He loves me too much to leave me stuck in what my selfish flesh craves.  He has a greater calling for my life.  When I recognize each change is another brick laid on the path He is paving to lead me to that prosperity, hope, and future, I can rest in the peace of His great love despite the raging sea surrounding me.  

Peace isn’t found in stability or the absence of change. Peace is found only through Christ.

I invite you to embrace each change to which God is calling you.  He is shaping you through each one.  Even when it hurts so much you desperately want to turn back, keep walking forward.  He is refining you.  He is setting you up for something better.  God has faithfully guided my path through all the welcome and unwelcome changes in my life, and I know He will do the same for you.  When you feel like a falling leaf being blown about in the wind, allow His goodness to gently guide you to your landing place.  

Change is hard, but just like the falling leaves, it is so beautiful!