The Power To (Not) Change

Change has always been easy for me. Whether a big change, like moving to a new city, or something as mundane as taking a different route on a walk around my neighborhood, I enjoy new experiences. Breaking out of my regular routines and habits gives me a sense of endless possibility – it feels as though I’m really accomplishing something!

Sustaining change is harder. The joyful intensity that I experience during a change begins to wear off. All the obstacles that at first didn’t seem so serious, begin to loom large. Starting is easy, but finishing well takes a lot more endurance.

In these times of diminishing energy and motivation, I really have to turn to God for guidance. God felt very present in that first moment of creation, but now the joy and clarity are diminishing. Does God still want me to continue? Should I move again? Find another project? Abandon relationships? Is there something else that God really wants me to be doing?

Sometimes, it really is time for a change in my life, and God gives me clarity about that. But more often than not, I my desire for change has more to do with my own impatience than with faithfulness. I want to see results and accomplishments now. When those aren’t forthcoming, it’s tempting to move on – to make a change that gives me immediate positive feedback.

Rather than take the bait and abandon the hard work God has called me to, I am frequently challenged to reconnect with the sense of call that guided me to where I am now. Even if I’m not feeling enthusiastic at the moment, I can remember the feeling of purpose and clarity that brought me to this place. I have to trust that the One who guided me in that time will provide the strength I need to persevere.

  • Do you like change, starting new things? Or are you more of a sustainer type who finds change difficult?
  • How does this play out in your relationship with God and your discernment about the work and relationships that God is calling you to?
  • How do you strike the balance between faithful stability in the call that you have already received, and an openness to the new work that God may call you to?