When Change is Hard

2014 was a year of enormous change for me.  In that one year, I had three huge changes in my life: I got married January 4, moved from Colorado to Thailand on July 16 and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on December 30.  It was a great but crazy year!  However, there are times when changes are not welcomed in our lives as the ones above are.  Change isn’t always happy and positive like the birth of a new child or a marriage.  Sometimes change is quite painful.  Often we long for our life to just be like it was before.  We long for the comfort and familiarity of a "home" that no longer exists.  We long to see our deceased loved ones just one more time, to laugh with friends and family like we did before that relationship was broken.  Sometimes, the changes we have to adjust to in our lives make no sense at all to us, and we don’t understand why we have to go through this difficult situation.  These difficult times in our lives, when we lose sight of the familiar and are forced to reconcile with a new reality can cause us to struggle emotionally, physically and even spiritually.  They can cause us to question God and his love for us. 

God's word offers comfort to those of us who are struggling with unwelcomed life changes.  READ Exodus 14:10-12.  Here, we find that the people of God are fed up with the situation that they are in and frankly quite scared at what they see as an inevitable result of the changes that have been brought upon them. 

The people of God didn't see a way out, they were hopeless and distressed.  Think about a time in your life when you felt hopeless and did not see a way out of your situation.  Maybe you are in this situation now.  When we are in situations where change is forced upon us, and we feel hopeless, it can be difficult to trust God.  What is Moses' response to the people of Israel when they cry out to him in distress over the situation they are in?  In Exodus 14:13, Moses offers the Israelites practical advice that we can apply to our own situations when we are dealing with difficult changes beyond our control. 

1. “FEAR NOT” - Trusting God and moving past our fear can be very difficult.  I often find that reflecting and remember times that God has been faithful to me in the past can help me see that God has a bigger and better plan for my life. 
   
   
2. “STAND FIRM” - Dont lose faith, stand firm in what you know to be true, you may have to learn to live with this new reality, but you can do it!  Daily remind yourself of the truths God shows you in scripture. 
   
   
3. “SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD” - Watch as God shows off!  The Israelites had no idea of God's bigger plan, and what he was about to do.  (Read the rest of chapter 14 to see God showing off!)  Sometimes, in our lives we have to wait many years to see the bigger picture.  In fact, we may not even see it in our lifetime.  However, stories like this remind us that God not only has a plan of salvation in our personal lives, but also has a grand plan of salvation for earth that we get to play a part in.
   

Think again about the situation you had in mind before.  As you pray about this situation, pray that you would live, not in fear, but by standing firm in the truths that you know about God.  Trust that he has a bigger plan for your life and your world! 

About Melanie

Melanie and her husband Joel live and do ministry in Bangkok, Thailand.  She is mommy to baby Claire and a graduate of Denver Seminary with a degree in Intercultural Ministry.  She enjoys traveling, reading and discussing theology, and spending time with her family and friends.  She loves the adventure that comes with living every day in another culture.  


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