Many of us are well versed with the saying ‘change is constant’. We live in changing times and sometimes, the changes around us can be so rapid and unexpected that we may find it difficult to come to terms with. At other times, we finally get the change that we have awaited for so long.
Change for many of us means uncertainty, which also prevents us from being able to feel in complete control of the future. The result of this for some is anxiety as we become consumed or obsessed with wanting to feel in control.
Transitioning from one stage of our lives to the next such moving house, starting a new job or school, losing a job, changing relationships can all bring about a sense of loss as well as uncertainty as we let go of what we know and try to adapt to new situations.
Looking back, change has always been part of life and a key aspect of living. Some people are more capable of managing or coping with change than others. There could be several factors that enable or prevent people from dealing with change. Sometimes, change is managed through learnt behaviours, sometimes, through the support network that we have around us.
Who or what do you rely on in changing times?
For many Christians, Faith in God is a key ingredient for managing positive and negative change. Promising Scriptures such as those found in the New Testament Books of Matthew and Philippians are key to how they cope with change.
These scriptures admonish us “not to worry about life, what we will eat or drink”, nor about the body what we will put on because life is more than food and the body more than clothing (Matthew 6:25), and not be anxious about anything, but with prayer, thanksgiving and supplications, make our requests known to the God of peace that surpasses all understanding, who will guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7).
No matter what type of change we are going through, it is possible to experience peace in the face of uncertainty.
Alison Awuku from Wokingham Seventh Day Adventists, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham Wokingham Seventh Day Adventist Church
