Bracing for change is inevitable because let’s face it, nothing remains the same.  There are good changes and bad; and they happen all the time.  How do you feel about change?

 

Have you ever really thought about it?  I’ve been thinking about it a lot this year as I move forward into new seasons.

 

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.  A time to be born and time to die.  A time to plant and time to harvest.  A time to kill and time to heal.  A time to tear down and time to build up.  A time to cry and time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.”  Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

 

In the past I would have said I don’t like change.  There is something comforting about routine and structure that helps make me feel safe.  I like safe, but I also like adventure and new things, which can really confuse my heart in the face of change.

 

It’s taken me a long time to assess my heart on this issue, but I think I’ve landed on a helpful truth.  I’ve concluded that it’s not so much change that creates panic, but fear of the unknown.

 

All the anxiety and yuck of transition have very little to do with the actual change.  It’s just easier to blame change as the offender.  Dig a little deeper and you will see that change exposes the heart.  When you aren’t prepared to look inside that’s when you hit the wall.

 

Here’s the thing, change can’t be controlled or avoided for that matter, because it is a situational circumstance.  Bracing for change is about acknowledging your feelings as you walk through change and appropriately dealing with what’s going on in your soul.

 

Bracing for change means looking ahead

 

Bracing for change means you need to look ahead.  Okay, let me just throw out a word of caution:  careful!  Yes, you need to look ahead, but you can’t take up residence in tomorrow.

When you spend too much time looking ahead you can give into fear and worry.  Don’t do that, it’s not helpful.

 

The opposite approach is equally painful.  Avoiding all thoughts of impending change is dangerous because it invites a whole host of yuck to settle in. This is called the ostrich approach, which simply defers the inevitable.

 

I remember a piece of instruction from my driver’s education teacher.  He told me that I should always keep my eyes on the horizon, where road and sky meet.  He told me that when I keep my eyes fixed on where I’m going I don’t have to work so hard to control the car.  The car will go where my eyes lead it.

 

You need to see where you are going if you are going to get there in one piece.  Looking ahead doesn’t give you license to play with fear and anxiety, so just say no to those voices.  Bracing for change means looking ahead so you can see what’s next.  This process helps you to prepare yourself and you do that by acknowledging what’s going on in your heart.

 

Listen friend, you need to get real brave.  There may be a lot of mystery in the coming changes, but that’s not an excuse to justify fear.  Bracing for change requires grounding your feet in what you know to be true.  Practice trust and faith as you surrender your heart to the will of the LORD.  Avoidance sets you up for a chaos instead of peace.  Take my word for it, it’s not worth it.

 

 

 

 

Bracing for change is rooted in the moment

 

Bracing for change has to look ahead, but also in the moment .  I don’t know about you, but I have been guilty of biding my time.  Can I get an Amen?  I mean, who hasn’t, right?  The LORD has convicted me of my attitude and wasteful stewardship of the moment at hand.  Every single moment is a gift, so don’t fritter away today as you wait for tomorrow.

 

“This is the day that the LORD has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

 

I am literally bracing myself for seasons of rapid fire change.  My son is counting down the days until we launch him into real life destiny stuff.  Eek!  This kid is moving to another state and giddy excited to start college.  He knows what he wants and we are equally excited, but wow, this will create a big change.

 

It’s just the start, because my daughter is right on his heels.  She is a high-school senior this year which means next year my husband and I will be empty nesters.  Can I tell you something?  The temptation to bide my time and plow forward is great. There are still many things I want to impart to their inexperienced minds, but not at the expense of savoring the moment at hand.

 

Our family has walked on the edge with cancer and we’ve learned that this very moment is the only moment that’s guaranteed.  Too often we live with a false sense of security and an attitude of entitlement.   Learn to live in this moment, pressing into the voice of the Father, because he will set you up to succeed.   Bracing for change takes root in the moment, because that’s where you live.

 

 

 

Bracing for change allows for adjustments

 

“Commit everything you do to the LORD.  Trust him, and he will help you.” Psalm 37:5

Bracing for change is all about cultivating a lifestyle of trusting God to help.  There is no way for you to plan or know every detail ahead of the game.  But if you trust God to lead you through he will.  When you adjust your heart and mind, it will bring about supernatural alignment.

 

I remember a summer night about nine years ago.  I worked late and when it was time for me make my twenty-minute commute home the sky opened up and emptied itself on the road between work and home.  The rain came hard and fast making it dangerous to drive.

 

My windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with the storm so I decided it might be better if I just pulled over to wait it out.  The moment I stopped the car I realized I wasn’t safe.  The cars coming behind couldn’t see me and I was now an obstacle to their safety as well.  There was no way to wait the storm out, I had to face it.  I eased my way back on the road, turned my hazard lights on and adjusted my speed to accommodate the driving conditions.  Five minutes later I drove out of the storm into clear sunny skies.

 

Here’s the thing, sometimes the only way through is by moving forward.  Bracing for change can force you to deal with some hard things whether you want to or not. You need to know that as difficult as those hard things are it may get more difficult if you stop to wait it out.  God is for you; he won’t abandon you.  Bracing for change makes adjustments along the way, which prepare you for what comes next.

 

 

 

 

Bracing for change requires a little pre-grieving

 

No matter how good the change is, there is still a reckoning that has to happen.  When something new is birthed, the old way has to die.  Change brings about a death figuratively and sometimes literally.

Bracing for change allows for pre-grieving.  You have to acknowledge that there are real parts of change that will make you sad.  Give yourself time to face it and tend to it.  Don’t minimize it; walk into it.

 

Lately I’ve been acknowledging that as my son heads off to college I’m going to miss the sound of his voice.  He is a verbal processor, which can feel overwhelming to this introverted Momma. When he comes home at the end of the day he unloads everything.

 

I love that he talks to me about everything, but these days are coming to an end.  He will find new friends to process with which is healthy and good, but I will miss these days.  I’m grieving as my heart and soul reckon the end of a season making way for the new.

 

Bracing for change is easier if you step into this process.  Listen, I know it is hard, but take time to tend your soul.  A little pre-grieving helps you step into change with the necessary strength to stay afloat when change rushes in.

 

 

 

 

Bracing for change prepares the way

 

Let’s get practical shall we.  Bracing for change means you have to make some preparations.  When you look ahead you will see certain things that you can do to make transition a little easier.  Don’t be afraid to prepare the way, it will help.  That said, resist the urge to over prepare.  Remember, there are some things that will remain a mystery.  Embrace it and push away fear of the unknown.

 

Fifteen years ago, my husband and I were praying for our house to sell.  We had accepted the invitation to come to Pennsylvania and pastor a small struggling church plant.  We knew God had called us, but we had so much work to do to get here.

Ryan (my husband) was relentless as he worked hard fulfilling his duties as a Youth Pastor in our home community and preparing us as a family to make this crazy move.  Our kids were both under the age of four and frankly the task was daunting.

Bracing for change meant taking care of the practical tasks so that when the moving truck arrived we would be read

y to move to the United States.  Every day I packed boxes, taking care to number each box with a thick black marker and then record the items of each box on a note pad (when you cross the border, customs wants an accounting of everything you bring across).

 

Miracles happened that summer as we prepared for this new adventure. We had done everything we could to make this transition happen smoothly but there was still a wild card in the mix.  You see, there was no way to secure our visa ahead of time.  All we could do was show up at the border with all our paperwork and pray for approval.

 

 

 

 

Bracing for change leads you to embrace the change

Bracing for change by looking ahead, savoring the moment, making adjustments, pre-grieving and making necessary preparations eventually leads you to embrace the change.  Every part of this process is about fortifying strength so that the full impact doesn’t take you out.  Bracing for change isn’t about pushing it back; it’s about positioning yourself to embrace it.

 

Listen dear friend, I understand there are some changes thrust upon us that are mean and unfair.  Don’t get hung up on the word embrace, okay?  Embracing the change is about choosing life not circumstances.

 

My Father passed away suddenly three and half years ago.  There were no warning signs, just a massive heart attack.  We were devastated by this mean sudden change.  The process of dealing with this sudden change was difficult.  There was no way to ease into it.  Let me be really honest with you, I don’t embrace his death, but I do embrace life.

 

 

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Romans 8:28

 

Change can make you better, if you allow yourself to embrace God and trust him through it. We live in a fallen world and we have an enemy who works against us, but even more we have a God who works relentlessly for us. God is the master at redeeming the yuck and the hard.  In my experience he uses the fire of these hard things to bring refinement.  He’s that good.

 

 

 

 

Bracing for change is really about radical trust.  Trust God to lead you through the good and the hard, because the truth of the matter is, the hard eventually becomes good.  Lean in and embrace Him; he will help you with the rest.