Change is the only thing consistent...

Change happens.

In fact, the only thing that is consistent is in this world is change. Last night a group of us were talking about sports and how in athletics, you are dealing with failure.  Baseball is a game of failure. To be one of the greatest hitters in the world, you can strike out 7 of ten times.  Isn't that amazing?  In shooting, if you can get to 40% you might have had a good night.  The reality is this, change happens and all of it isn't good.

How do you deal with failure?  What do you do when you lose your job? How do you handle when your marriage collapses? How do you go through the tragedies which come your way and change happens?

In talking to Robert Funk, one of the leading people in the world on losing jobs, he shared that Express Personnel Services deals with people when they are in the worst situation, giving them hope, helping find a future and more. It began as a ministry.  Reaching out to people without security is not just a "thing to do", but its essential.

In this past week, I've had some huge conversations with people who are going through change and frankly, it's not even close to a "good change".  What is the really answer and how can all of us cope with our futures when there are so many influences which can impact our emotions?

Christi Craddock of HIS TRUTH TRANSFORMS INTERNATIONAL talks a lot about how we can let our emotions take the place of what we need the most, Jesus.  Isn't this a powerful word, to stop and think that through all the change going on around us, the real answer seems so simple, it's a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is the reliance upon Him and Him alone to be our security.  We either believe Jesus can, or we take on ALL OF OUR CHANGE ourselves and fight it personally.

If you do this, you will lose.  If you try to fix your own problems and don't focus on the God of the universe, you will not succeed.  So many people are not willing to take the risk of "surrender" to Him. They take all their problems and carry them around on their backs holding on to the very issues Christ says, "Let go, let me have your problems, let me take care of the change". 

This is way more than philosophy or psycho babble talk, this is the real thing.  Only when you stop to realize your relationship with Christ is not a "thing", but EVERYTHING will you begin to know a different kind of a journey in the one true God.  No matter where and how bad you journey, how much change you combat and how alone you feel, when you surrender, you will see the power of His resurrection.

Personally, I fight pride a lot and "giving up" my problems to surrender to Jesus Christ is not easy for me. If I were to give myself a grade with ten being best and one being the worst, I often think I am close to a 2.  Do you understand why we need a Savior so much?  Our emotions can rule us, they can truly become our own God and they will hurt us and cause great pain.

Years ago I was fired by a group of people whom I thought had my "security" at hand, but in reality they didn't. They were completely different.  The more I saw how my security was not in their bankroll, the most I saw how God sees the sparrow when it falls, He can see me. 

God sees you.  He knows you. He made you and He knew your change was coming.

There were no surprises when you went into that meeting last week. There were no flags, parades and banners that needed to be shown to heaven.  Do you understand the power of omnipotence?  I don't, but I do know this. Whenever I get to feeling I can't handle my situation anymore and the change is too great, I think of a man who handled the situations of life and death with such a courage, it changed me.

Change is not coming, it's already knocking on your doorstep.  Just know He loves you, He knows and go to Him more, let Him help you. Stop and take some time to listen, breathe and remember His unending love.  

I love you,

Kevin