As the new school system is starting for 2020 I looked back on this appropriate time of year post from 2016. So many changes we have been through this year, our lives will never be exactly the same but new things will happen for a good reason! God will bring good from our sad times, and He will bring good from this year we have done much waiting, some suffering and a lot of growing, in His Word!
Making New Things Good In His Word-8-29-16
As my youngest goes away to University this fall I find I do not like the changes that God has given me, it is hard to acknowledge the time of growing my children and training them up is gone; but I know that I must accept them and walk in His path for me.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:4-5
Changes; they are not all bad, but it is often hard for us to accept that change must come. Some things are easy to change; new clothes, shoes, cars. Other things mean a whole new start and it is not always to change up what we were into, or what we were doing and start with a new plan.
That is just what God is in the business of doing with people; from Adam to Moses, there is proof of His making change, and from then on there are too many to number! Whoever said that God does not change His mind or plans is not reading my Bible!
He is a God of compassion and because of this He has taken upon Himself to move people to produce submission in their hearts toward Him.
I mean this wholeheartedly my God has changed things as powerful as allowing His chosen anointed king to be captured along with the rest of the people to prove the point of their need to obey Him; He has also done as small a change as having compassion and allowing people to continue walking their path just with a slight alteration because they have shown repentance toward Him.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
So why do people buck change? Change is good! It just sometimes hurts a little to be stripped away from our comfort zones and be pushed into a new zone that is really going to be better and often makes us stronger and more prosperous in our lives toward God and men. In other words; both physically and spiritually, we grow when we are processing change in our lives. That is when we allow God to direct the changes. We trust Him to know what they are doing, what they need, and where they will go. They must walk in their consequences.
What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord,
who do their evil deeds in the dark!“ The Lord can’t see us,” they say.
who do their evil deeds in the dark!“ The Lord can’t see us,” they say.
“He doesn’t know what’s going on!” How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? Isaiah 29:16-17a
When God brings change into our lives we need to embrace the change; trust Him to guide us and follow His direction.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not in your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6
Why do we dislike change so much? I believe it is because we are set in our ways, we like to keep the control in our lives and when things change it means we are no longer the one in charge. Take for instance the growth of our children to the point of adulthood. We train up our children in the way they should go but when its time for them to do just that, ‘go’ we do not want to let them go off on their own and make their own minds up about things. We have to allow them to be their own selves and yet we want to tell them what to do at every turn. It is time for us to stop being God. Ouch, did I say that? Well yes, it is a god complex that sees another one I guess. I have a habit of trying to make the lives of my family walk the way I want them to walk, talk the way I want them to talk and think the way that I want them to think; but God has them in His hands and He is in control, not me. Once I realize and accept that God has their best interest in mind and remember that my husband and I have truly trained them up in the way they should go, then I can pretty must rest knowing He will never leave them nor forsake them.
So even though their change is to make their own choices now, my change is to pray that they keep focused on Him.
He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him. Trust God and He will direct your path; their part is to trust Him to direct them not me.
As the school year starts and your kids begin to learn anew thing, the time has come for us parents, aunts and uncles or grandparents to trust that we have a God who will go with our kids to classes. What we can do now is change our position from the one who walks with them telling them what to do to the one who encourages them with little notes of faith and love and hope to find in pockets and back packs and cars, or emails and texts. Though they may fuss about them I assure you they will get the words in their hearts and minds and know that God and you love them.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 5:11
It may be time for us to put away childish things, games and bubble gum are traded for cars and jobs; when we grow we have to let go of the past and move on to what is in front of us that we may be strong in His power and might.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:14-16
It is my prayer today that each of us, both parent, or non parent, child or adult will truly work together with God keeping our minds and hearts geared to here what He has to say to us each day; when there is change or when things stay the same; that we put our trust, hope and love in Him and His direct line of path to walk. We need to let the new beginnings come in our lives that we may walk in the promise land, and enjoy it goodness! If Israel had not left Egypt they would never have found the milk and honey!
Dear Heavenly father, help us to embrace the change as You bring it into our lives and to walk gracefully in the path You have put before us no matter how far off of the one we thought you were putting there. Help us to know Your voice and follow it, as we are your sheep. Keep us obediently humble,In Jesus name, amen.
Suggested reading: Ephesians 4:1-32, Colossians 3:1-25, Isaiah 30:1-30, and John 13:1-38.