“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end” – Lamentations 3:22
Change is a difficult thing for many people. Especially the changes that happen that are out of our control. Change removes us from our known, ordinary, and often comfortable surroundings. Change moves us to a place of awkward searching for how to handle the new situation we are presented with.
Not long ago, the store where we get most of our groceries underwent a renovation. They added a few extra isles and moved items around to accommodate the new items. The change was small, but it was change.
My wife and I were visiting family in another town. We went to the grocery store. The store was the same chain as the store we shop at home. The only problem was the store was arranged differently. When we went looking for a few items, it took much longer than normal. Things were different. It was a change from the ordinary.
Change is difficult, and change seems ever-present. In fact, the phrase I have so often heard is, “The only constant is change.” I would like to avoid most change… well at least the change that is out of my control. Avoiding change is not possible. So, we must consider how we handle change and how we keep simple things, like groceries being moved, from stealing our joy.
First, we must remember that our joy begins and is sustained by God. God is our constant. He is the same, “Yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) When things change and are rearranged around us, we remember that “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) Change may have us wandering around the grocery store, or worse, but we are never lost. God is with us (Matthew 28:20) and if God is with us, we can find peace and joy, even as the world changes around us.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
