Getting Through Change

Sometimes change is thrust upon us, and sometimes it is of our own choosing. But either way, the measure that we will find joy in the change is dependent upon our attitude. Change can be scary. There can be so many unknowns. And sometimes we even assume that the unknown will be bad. Or, sometimes the circumstances we’re in are just plain bad, and there’s nothing we can do about it. We may have no control over our situation, but we can control our attitude in the situation.

The Israelites who had just come out of Egypt were in for a big change. They were moving from slavery into the freedom of their promised land. You’d think that would be exciting, but God lead them to their promised land by way of the desert. As they moved out, God gave them a test. The first test came when the Israelites were being pursued by the Egyptian army and they had come to a dead end right into the Red Sea. They looked at their circumstances - an army on one side and the sea on the other, and asked “Why?”— “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die?” In Ex. 14:12 (NIV) they asked, “Didn’t we tell you to let us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” They faced their new situation with fear and complaining. Has God moved you out of your “Egypt” only to find you complaining that you want to go back? Remember, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Why is it that we want to go back into bondage? The Israelites didn’t have the Holy Spirit living within them to give them strength. But as believers in Christ, we do have the strength of the Holy Spirit living within us. Why don’t we call upon the power of the Holy Spirit? Do we not realize what we have? Or do we not believe that God can do what He says He can do? Or perhaps we don’t know the word well enough so we don’t call upon the Spirit and wield the word of truth. I had previously written that there is power in our words, and I believe that to be true. But there is even more power in God’s word. God’s word can break strongholds. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 NASB)

In this situation, the Israelites were trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea. But God was on their side and he told Moses to raise his staff. When he did, the Red Sea parted, and the Israelites were able to cross on dry land. When God finally allowed the Egyptian army to come across, the sea covered them, and not one survived. This was a difficult test for the Israelites, but God allowed it because it gave Him glory when the Israelites and the Egyptians saw the power of God. After the Israelites saw God’s power, they were joyful and sang to the Lord. But they had more to learn about their attitudes. God wants us to have a good attitude in the situation, not only after there’s a good outcome. Paul tells us his secret to doing just that in Philipians 4:12 when he tells us “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” The secret to a good attitude when we are going through change and the situations of life is that we have strength in Christ. Isn’t it amazing to know that Jesus loves us and empowers us to do those things that He calls us to go through? We can have a good attitude in our difficult circumstances because we can draw on the strength that Jesus offers to us. And God will receive glory when we show a good attitude through our hard situations. This is a huge lesson to learn because situations will continue to change throughout our life, and its all about what we do, and how we go through them.

Dear Heavenly Father,
We praise You that You are the Unchanging One. And though our situations in life continually change, we can rest in the fact that You never change. You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We ask that You show us how to keep a good attitude in all situations through the strength of the Holy Spirit and through Your powerful word. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.