Are You Afraid of Change? 3 Important Reminders from God
Inside: Are you afraid of change? If it feels like the earth is shifting under your feet, remind yourself of these three principles and let God help you conquer your fear.
Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash
There’s an old joke that goes like this: “How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb?” . . . “Change?!”
The thing is, plug in any denomination or even just “people” in the spot of “Lutherans” and the joke works, because in our heart of hearts, most of us don’t like change.
Never think I have it all together! God has me write these devotions for several reasons, one of which seems to be to help me wrestle with issues in my own life.
As I pondered our theme of “Overcoming Fear,” I realized that the fear of change transcends many fears. When you are tossing and turning at night, are you actually wrestling with something that is changing in your life? We are often afraid of change because change involves the unknown:
- We may be anxious about moving or changing jobs because we are afraid of the changes we will face. What if we don’t like the new location? What if the job isn’t all we had dreamed of? How will we make friends?
- As our children grow up, we find ourselves afraid of changes in their peer group, attitudes, and belief systems. What if they fall in with the wrong crowd? What if they don’t do well in school? Perhaps biggest of all: What will we do with ourselves once they leave home?
- We might not like a change at our church because deep down we are afraid of what it means for our own wants and needs.
- Think on these points: Do millennials get a bad rap because we are afraid of change in our society? Is one of the reasons we get so anxious at election time because we are afraid of change?
Change involves the unknown, and therefore fear comes along for the party. The problem is, fear doesn’t bring confetti and party hats; instead, it brings an unsettled heart and sleepless nights. Instead of boisterous noise makers, fear brings insidious doubt and confusion.
Afraid of Change? 3 Truths to Settle Your Anxious Heart
What are we to do if we find ourselves afraid of change? God has a word for us!
1. God Knows You and Cares About Your Situation
God not only knows the number of the hairs on your head, but he values you beyond your imagination:
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7 ESV)
If God doesn’t forget any sparrow, how much more does he care for you! He knows you so intimately that he can tell you how many strands of hair you have on your head. I dare you to try to start counting your hairs! How soon would you give up? But God knows every detail about you and cares so very deeply for you.
2. God Is Always At Work!
The God of the Bible does not just know about you and your situation and then remain aloof from some lofty heavenly throne. Oh, no, not even close! Remember how God worked in the life of Moses, who was saved by being hidden in a basket as a baby and was called to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt in his old age? Or how about how God wove his story into the lives of Joseph, Sara, Hannah, or even the centurion at the foot of the cross?
In the same way, God works intricately in our lives. When we are afraid, we need to remind ourselves that God is always at work, orchestrating things we could not possibly imagine.
This past weekend I helped a friend move. A few weeks ago, she had surgery for recurring breast cancer. During her recovery, one of her incisions became infected, and to her dismay, she discovered that the infection was due to a problem in her apartment. After several attempts to rectify the problem with her landlord, it became clear that she would have to move.
So yesterday in heavy drizzle, we loaded up a U-Haul, a flatbed, and several vehicles with all of her belongings and moved her across town. Why would God allow this to happen when my friend was in such a vulnerable state? What kind of God is this?
Can you even believe this? After her surgery, my friend’s parents came from a long distance to help take care of her. The day before the move, her mom fell and broke her shoulder so badly that the packing stopped and her mom was admitted to the hospital. The morning of the move, I arrived to find rooms half packed and my friend at the hospital meeting with a surgeon.
In the scans that were taken of her mother’s shoulder to guide the required surgery, the doctors found an abdominal aneurysm.
Had my friend never had to move, her mother would not have visited . . . and fallen . . . and broken a shoulder so badly it needed surgery . . . which required scans . . . which led to the discovery of the aneurysm!
Can we give a shout-out to our Heavenly Father for loving us so?
Oh my goodness! If you are afraid of a change you are facing in your life, keep your eye out for what God is doing, because he is always at work! We do not need to fear, because he’s got it! (If you need extra reminders, you might want to check out these Bible verses about fear.)
3. God Never Changes and His Promises Are Sure
This God who numbers the hairs on our head and cares so deeply that he orchestrates our fearful situations for the good is a God who does not change. His promises are sure! Although the world seems upside down, careening in directions we do not like, God remains faithful, loving, forgiving, and just. The psalmist reminds us of God’s unchanging character:
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:5 ESV)8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:8-12 ESV)
Remind Yourself!
What are you facing today? Are your children growing up too fast? Has your spouse lost a job, leaving you financially vulnerable? Are you struggling with health issues? Remind yourself of these three truths:
- God knows you and cares about your situation.
- God is always at work!
- God never changes, and his promises are sure.
Digging Deeper: When You Are Afraid of Change
Do you find yourself afraid of change today? Spend some time talking with God and listening for his voice.
- If you are feeling anxious about something today, ask yourself: Is the real reason I am feeling afraid because something in my life is changing? Share your feelings with God and ask him to guide your thoughts.
- Read Psalm 103 and mark every characteristic of God. Which characteristic of God is most meaningful to you at this time? Thank God for this characteristic and praise him for who he is! (For a free printable on What Psalm 103 Tells Us About God, click this link: What Psalm 103 Tells Us About God.)
- Spend time confessing and thanking, confessing some more and thanking God some more. We have a God who understands our fears and reminds us that his perfect love casts out all fear.
Worship and Praise!
Worship and praise drive out fear. Let’s lift our hearts and voices in praise to God today!
Tremble (Mosaic MSC)
Your Love Never Fails (Newsboys) (Or if those lyrics are too distracting, here is Jesus Culture singing it!)
What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Enjoy these different versions!
Aretha Franklin (1972!)
EpicYouthWatsonville
Pipe Organ (All Saints Church Ostermouth Swansea)
There are plenty of country versions out there as well!
Free Printable on Psalm 103!
For a printable on What Psalm 103 Tells Us About God, click this link:
What Psalm 103 Tells Us About God
