Change

When we are small, we grow fairly quickly physically, then encounter what has always been coined our “growth spurt” — we change rapidly and it comes with all sorts of difficulties, including: stretch s, pimples and emotional difficulties from all of the new hormones raging through our systems. Then we leave home (most of us) and start to learn how to be adult human beings in this crazy world we live in — this process of discomfort then growth continues throughout our lives.

We get healthy and see our health decline, become happy and become depressed, find spiritual growth and see our spiritual life decline. The negative side of all of our growth (our “pain and suffering”) stems from our inability to do the things necessary to feed the growth and or sustain it throughout our lives; and is, therefore, terribly uncomfortable at times. We are human beings and the only sure thing about life is that it will change.

To get out of these negative times of our lives, we have to make positive choices and change and this change is almost never easy. The Bible is filled with stories of people who had to experience the pain associated with change in order to receive the blessings that positive change brought into their lives – here’s one of the classics:

Gen 12 1:4 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 

Can you imagine the change he was asked to make – to leave his Country and go live in a strange land with no friends or security. Thanks be to God that he did though, because from this single decision, two huge societies were born.  (Can anyone name the two “great nations” that were born of his line?)

We should all strive to be as faithful as Abram – who became Abraham, in listening to what God wants for our lives and making the changes necessary to become the men and women that He wants us to be. What changes are you being asked to make? Is it abandoning some secret sin, obsession or addiction? Is it giving up a grudge or negative attitude towards someone who may have offended you? Maybe it is that you need greater faith to enable you to persevere in a difficult situation.  Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, I pray that you will seek His will and have the strength to carry it out. If you need help, please ask — we are here for you.

We are J-Bar — we are blessed beyond measure. We love — we are thankful beyond measure. We serve, and in so doing become the leaders that God wants us to be.