Anchoring to Hope During Seasons of Change

I… Don’t…Like…Change! 

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I’m not comfortable with it and I am easily plagued by anxiety when things don’t go the way I expect them to. During seasons of change I oftentimes find myself at the crossroads of Hope and Despair.

Lately the hounds of anxiety have been nipping at my heels because the winds of change have been howling. My neighbor across the street moved away. I had no idea the comfort it brought me to see her car parked in the drive. It’s not like we hung out a lot, but it was familiar. We’d say “Hi” to each other in our comings and goings. Her sweet little boy was always eager with a smile and a sweaty boy hug for me. Now I walk outside and am greeted by a “For Rent" sign.

Another change has been the health of my father. He was the first man who owned my heart. He’s always been very strong and capable. Over the past few years his health has declined and it hurts my heart to see him struggle for each breath and have no energy. What hurts most is how his poor health has assaulted his manhood. The physical limitations he faces cause him to feel useless, and I am unable to fix that for him.

Aside from these personal changes, the social climate shift happening in our country causes me to grasp for an anchor of hope during this season of change.

Maybe I've lived in a bubble, but I have always found comfort in the belief that if a person worked hard and made good choices, he or she would be rewarded and have good things happen to them and for them. On the flip side, if a person was lazy and made poor choices they would earn and suffer hardships and difficulties.

Personal Convictions

Recently my sweet, comfortable bubble has burst. Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. People who break the law get road ways named after them, while a hard working person exercising their right to deny services that conflict with their personal belief, is put out of business because of court mandated fines and penalties.

Life

A police officer, doing his duty to protect and serve, is brutally murdered leaving behind a wife and two young children, while a known criminal posts videos calling for “open season on white people and cops.”

                                                          Respect

The tragedy of a young man (criminal or otherwise) being shot and killed by police became permission for an entire community to go on several rampages of rioting, looting and destroying businesses and personal property that other people in their community had worked and labored to build. The hard working people had to pick up the pieces, while the rioters walked off with their merchandise and burned their businesses down. It was Christmas day for the rioters and a disaster for the people who were trying to do the right thing.

Marriage

I believe the definition of marriage can only include one man and one woman. It is a fundamental truth of my faith. Now it is legal for same sex couples to marry.

Gender Distinction

Businesses, schools, Governments, and individuals are moving towards a gender-neutral approach of interaction and communication. It is becoming unacceptable to identify a person as male or female.  

"But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation." (Mark 10:6, NLT).

This change has led to a boy, who identifies himself a girl, fighting for the right to share a girl’s locker room. This rips at all I known as normal, right, and acceptable.

 Safety

There are movements proclaiming “Black Lives Matter” or “Police Lives Matter”. It insinuates that life outside that chosen group doesn’t matter. Can’t I believe that ALL lives matter and no one should be murdered?

““You must not murder.” (Deuteronomy 5:17, NLT).

All Lives Matter

It makes sense to me that if we were to embrace the standard that no one should be murdered, the problem would be resolved. 

And in keeping with the idea that ALL lives matter and no one should be murdered, we would need to stop killing those who are being murdered inside the womb whose remains being sold for profit.  

ALL lives matter because Jesus gave his life for ALL to have the opportunity to believe and follow Him.

"Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.". (Galatians 1:4, NLT).

He didn’t die for one group or another. He gave His life so everyone could have a relationship with Him. We can ALL have hope through Him. ALL lives are equally valuable to Him, so they ALL need to be equally valuable to each of us.

Good Considered Evil/ Evil Considered Good

As the above changes unfolded,  I hoped and prayed for things to go back to comfortable. I wanted things to make sense again. 

The values and behavior that have always been considered right and good are being rejected and considered bad. Behavior and actions that have been considered unacceptable and evil in the past are now enthusiastically embraced as good. This behavior and social shift reminds me of a verse:

"What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil,that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.". (Isaiah 5:20, NLT).

Anchoring To Hope Instead of Sinking into Despair

As I watch evil being embraced as good and good being rejected as evil, those hounds of anxiety threaten to rip me apart…but I am comforted by truths that will stand no matter how much society changes.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.". (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT).

This is both a command and a promise. As I cling to core beliefs that society wants to reject and tear apart, I don’t have to understand what is happening or why. All I have to do is trust God. When I don’t know what to do in the midst of these changes, I submit to Him and He will guide me. That gives me peace.

Ecclesiastes 3 explains that there is a season and a time for everything. The beautiful part is each season has its counterpart. A time to be born leads to a time to die. A time to sow leads to a time to reap. A time of war changes into a time for peace. This model of balance presented in scripture comforts me. While I can’t endorse or understand the changes I see, I know it is a season. I know this season of wickedness prevailing will end. I know that God has victory over all wickedness and shares that victory with his children. He is the hero of this story!

Things That Will Never Change

Change is an unavoidable part of life. Neighbors move, parents die, society as we know it falls apart. It can be unnerving to a person who isn’t comfortable with change. Fortunately there are things that will never change that keep us grounded as the world as we know it seems to disappear.

God doesn’t change.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.". (Hebrews 13:8, NLT).

God doesn’t lie. God doesn’t change His mind. God is not idle. God does not renege on His promises.

"God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?".(Numbers 23:19, NLT). 

 “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.". (1 Peter 1:24-25, NLT).

The certainty of my Salvation in Jesus Christ will never change.

"21 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.". (1 Peter 1:21-23, NLT).

• He doesn’t change
• He doesn’t lie
• He fulfills all His promises
• His word doesn’t change
• I have put my trust in Him and my salvation is secured (this can only happen if you have trusted Jesus as your savior and asked Him to be your Lord. For more information on this, please click "How can I be saved?"

…these truths are all I need to keep anxiety and fear at bay.

"But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.". (Psalm 56:3, NLT)

I am a child of God and He loves me with an eternal love. That will not change. People may attempt to change and manipulate truths about gender, marriage, and general human courtesy and decency, but the biblical truths will stand whether society wants them to or not. 

The world around me may change, but the things that truly matter will stand forever…and with that I can walk in peace as I practice anchoring to hope during seasons of change.

If you have read this and are interested in knowing more about anchoring to the hope that comes from Jesus through salvation, click "How can I be saved".