Change Management

I’m in a season of life where some major change is about to occur. I’m sort of outside-looking-in to my own life, wondering how I will adjust to these changes.

I’d like to think I adapt well to change. Actually, there are some changes I enjoy. Maybe you’re thinking just the opposite. You hate change and fight it every step of the way! The fact is change is unavoidable.

There are times we initiate change and there are times when it happens out of our control. Change can be as simple as altering your morning commute route to the life-altering experience of learning how to live without your spouse.

Since we know change is unavoidable, the question becomes how can we best navigate these planned and unplanned moments? I think the answer lies in this: how we view change will determine how we walk out change. Socrates said “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old but on building the new.”

Building the new? What would that look like?

-being thankful

-forgiving those that wronged you

-finishing a college degree twenty years later

-starting a small group in your modest home

-knocking on your neighbors’ doors to invite them over for coffee

-going 24 hours without being negative

-admitting your fears to someone

-choosing to see the good in your boss who has overlooked you

-giving away your time to bless someone less fortunate than you

-forgiving yourself

Here’s how God’s word describes building the new:

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day. These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever! So we do not look at what we can see right now, the troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen. The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 TLB

Change is coming–change is here.  In every area of my life my desire is to not let change define me. Rather, I want Christ in me to define how I direct my response to that change.  More than ever, I want to build the new so that I am not fighting the old fears which hampered me. More than ever, I want to point others to Christ. Like the apostle I want to say my inner strength in the LORD is growing every day!

Terry is a blog contributor who is thankful for her life in Jesus which fills her life with joy.  For more on embracing change, you may enjoy our Put Off the Old Self, Put on Christ: Ephesians 4:22-24 series.  You can listen to any of our Bible studies by tuning in to your favorite radio station, listening to our podcast on the Study With Friends website,  iTunes, or listening through TuneIn or Stitcher online radio.