Coping with Change – Tony Agnesi

“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed (changed) by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” –Romans 12:2

It is said that the only thing certain in life is that things will change. It’s true. Change is something we all resist, dislike, and wish would never happen. It brings stress, discomfort, and makes us feel that we have lost control.

The loss of a loved one; a husband, father or dear friend brings about a change that is totally out of our control. A job loss, financial loss, a move to a new town or college, can add to our stress.

Stress is something we really don’t like. A friend of mine always says, “The only people that like change are wet babies!” Funny, but true!

So, how do we cope with change? How do we react to things that are totally out of our control? What promises does our Lord make about dealing with the changes in our lives?

It is important to understand that God is in control, not us. Understand that we didn’t do anything wrong to be facing these changes. God won’t change our circumstances, but He will sustain us and give us the tools necessary to get us through them.

It is important to acknowledge that change is inevitable. Our lives are always changing in some small way, but the big ones require us to face our feelings, manage our stress, and try to understand this unwanted change.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

God never changes and neither does His love. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Be strong, remember that God will always be there for you, won’t abandon you, and has your back.

“Be strong and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you.^{” —}Deuteronomy 31:6

[pullquote]“For I, the LORD, do not change, and you, sons of Jacob, do not cease to be.” — Malachi 3:6[/pullquote]

God is with you. Sometimes following a loss of a loved one, we feel that God has abandoned us, or that we may have done something wrong in our lives that cause God to punish us. Nothing could be further from the truth. God is waiting for us, with open arms to help us and guide us through the stress and pain. Don’t fear, turn to our Lord in prayer and he will give you the tools to cope.

“It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.” –Deuteronomy 31:8

God will guide our way. Change takes time, it’s a process and prayer will help us get the answers. We need to acknowledge the change and our feelings, ask our Lord to help us and guide us. Through prayer, we can face our feelings, be grateful and set goals for moving forward with our lives.

[pullquote]“I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel with my eye upon you.” –Psalm 32:8[/pullquote]

There is an ancient quote from Socrates that says “the secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Let’s pray that God will help us concentrate on what’s ahead for our lives, not that we can or want to forget the past but to re-frame our thinking about the future.

Change means growing and learning. We realize that our lives will change over time, and occasionally there are major changes that will challenge us.

Let the change bring us closer to our Lord, closer to the person we are meant to be, closer to God’s promise to be always with us, never abandon us, and to lead us to everlasting life.

That is my prayer for you, my friend.

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