Embracing Change with Trust

When you hear the word 'change', what comes to your mind? For many, change is associated with pain and difficulty. Some of us may have even given up hope for change because of past experiences. This can be especially true for those of us who have experienced significant changes when we were younger, leaving us with a sense of apprehension towards change.

However, another perspective to consider is that change is a form of metamorphosis, a transformation process. This process of change is encapsulated in Romans 12:1,2 in the New International Reader's Version. It is an invitation to offer up our everyday lives to God as a form of worship and to let our ways of thinking be completely transformed. This transformation aligns us with God’s plan which is good, pleasing and perfect.

The Message Bible further emphasizes this point in Romans 12:2, urging us not to become so well-adjusted to our culture that we fit into it without even thinking. Instead, we should fix our attention on God, allowing Him to change us from the inside out. This process develops well-formed maturity in us, in contrast to the culture around us which often drags us down to its level of immaturity.

Trust plays a significant role in embracing change. It involves letting go and trusting that God will guide us through the process. This is a stark contrast to how the world changes, often characterized by patterns of human effort, blood, sweat, and tears and trying to do better. However, real change comes not by trying harder, but by surrendering and trusting in God.

The Parable of the Sower, found in Mark 4:13,14, 26-29, further illustrates how we should approach change. It is not about understanding all the teachings or the complexities of the kingdom of God. Rather, it is about scattering the seed (the Word of God) and allowing it to take root in our lives. As we sleep (rest in Him) and rise, the seed sprouts and grows, a process that we ourselves do not fully understand. The earth yields its crops in stages: first the blade, then the head, and finally the full grain. This process mirrors how change takes place in our lives, gradually and in stages, eventually leading to a ripe harvest.

In John 15:4-8, Jesus speaks of the intimate relationship between the vine and its branches. This intimate and organic connection ensures a fruitful harvest. We, as the branches, are not responsible for bearing fruit. Instead, our job is to abide, to stay, to dwell. As we abide in Christ, He produces fruit in our lives.

Many have misunderstood this concept, thinking that abiding equals bearing much fruit. They conclude that to abide, they must produce fruit. However, Jesus explains that our job is simply to abide, and as we do, He will bear fruit in our lives. We don't have to do anything except abide. But what does it mean to abide?

Abiding means to stay, continue, or dwell. It is about making Christ your abode, your home, your dwelling place. Jesus invites us to 'abide in my love' (John 15:9), essentially asking us to rest in His love for us. Abiding in Christ is living with complete dependence on Him, recognizing that apart from Him, we can do nothing. Yet, with Him, we can do great things.

Change is challenging and often painful, but it is a necessary part of our spiritual growth. As we trust in God, abide in Christ, and allow the Word of God to take root in our lives, we allow the transformation process to take place. We may not understand the process of change, but it is good, pleasing, and perfect according to God's plan.