Time For Change
Change is inevitable. Regardless of plans, change will come. Sometimes we embrace it, sometimes not so much.
I’m so glad that God saw fit for us to live in an area with such dramatic seasonal change. In western NY and Pennsylvania, we see change to the extreme and it teaches us an important lesson that many others just don’t get.
We have friends that live in Southern California and they have beautiful weather, and it’s sunny almost everyday. I have other friends who live in the South and while they see more change than in Cali, it’s still not drastic as ours. They all are perplexed by the same thing, why would anyone choose to live in the north?
This morning as I was waking up, my daughter was leaving for school. As she came in to kiss me good bye, she looked out the window and said, “Wow! The snow is so pretty!” See we just got our first real snowfall of the year. Sure, in a few months we will all be asking when this winter will end, but the change has an effect and that effect is good.
One thing we know, change is gonna come and changing seasons prepare us for greater things. They teach us to adapt. More than just adaptation though, these intense changes teach us to see the beauty in each season. Leaving nice weather is hard and so is shoveling snow. But man, try to find a place as beautiful without the gorgeous colorful leaves of fall, which wouldn’t happen if it didn’t get cold. Also, there’s not much like that first snowfall (I even love blizzards). I’ve heard so many people who have moved away for a time and come back really remember with fondness the beauty in this change.
Now that I’ve spent all this time talking about beautiful winter, let me ask you something. Do you think the intensity of the seasons was not something God planned? Further more, do you think God used seasons as a way of teaching in scripture because He couldn’t think of anything else? Friends, there’s beauty in change and to the one in faith it should be embraced. Let me prove this with a scripture. As I give you the scripture I want you to really consider it, meditate on it, with the things I’ve just said in mind.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” You could easily replace the word things with change and not be wrong in doing so. God causes all change to work for good in your life, if you are in faith. If you live in our region, which I’m assuming most of the readers of this do, you have already been prepared for the coming change in life. Winter may be upon you, and it presents its challenges, but spring will come after not too long and there will be a reset. We know this, that the change of weather gives us beautiful things (think of maple syrup)!
Yes folks, God will make change produce something sweet in your life if you let Him. Even when it’s rough, even when it’s frustrating, even when everything seems at its end, God will always come through for the one who trusts in Him. Isaiah 26:3 says so beautifully, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
When you are up to your neck in proverbial snow, look to the Lord, keep your mind stayed on Him. When it’s impossible to you is when God loves to come through and show how it’s nothing to Him. Remember this exhortation in 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…” Don’t let your heart be changed in the season, good or bad, but rejoice in the Lord always. Only in Him will you find peace but in Him you always will. Be blessed in this season, let your heart be lifted up, because in faith it can only do something great!
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
