Most of us would agree that change is easier to manage when it visibly benefits our life. That said, I struggle when change . . . well . . . changes my life and makes things uncomfortable. Rather than responding through seeking God we often react by attempting to push back on whatever or whoever is making us change.
The thing is, life on earth is constant change. How can we manage change, especially when it hurts?
John wrote about the changes that Christ, God with us, brought to the world. Generation after generation, the people continually failed to understand the law was not about rules but about the way to have a relationship with God. Christ changed everything. We can look back through the scope of history and see that the coming of Christ changed the way humanity could relate to God. The people had developed a rigid way of thinking, speaking, and acting in their attempt to follow the law.
So, what was John trying to communicate?A good portion of John's message was written for humanity to understand that an incredible change, a change that is for good, a change that makes a difference in how we live our life, comes through a relationship with Christ.
When we filter change through the presence of Christ rather than through our circumstances, we receive the power to change. I am not saying it is easy to change without thinking about our circumstances. It is the first thing we will do; however, in order to manage change we must first seek Christ to see a bigger picture than the here and now.
Christ, God with us, told us what to do: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).
Experience change through Christ.
Seek Him first.
Filter the change and your circumstances through prayer and meditation.
Reorient your perspective through the presence and power of God.
Respond rather than react to the change through Him.
Learning with you to experience change through the presence of Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
