It’s been a while since my last post. Many things have changed in my life over the last number of months, but change is good, right? I remember being told by a school teacher when I was a child that the only things guaranteed in this life are change and taxes! Well, I was too young to understand the impact of either!

I recall when we moved interstate, the strangeness of feeling positive and excited about the change and the struggle with adjusting to it. I think it probably took me close to six months for the dust to settle in my inner world and to feel remotely normal again. Regardless, throughout the adjustment period, I was aware that the change was good and, in time, it would settle down and become ordinary.

Although change can be extremely difficult to come to terms with, I am a believer that, in general, change is good for us and needs to happen, especially if we are to go on in Christ. Change comes in many forms. Some changes are of our own making and are intended to be for our betterment. Such as a change of job or changing the location where we live. Yet, even those simple changes require a period of adjustment as we settle into them.

Some changes, though, are not expected, they take us completely by surprise. Instead of a long slow lead-up for us to get used to the idea and prepare as the change draws closer, other changes leave us in a state of shock for a while as we try to come to terms with things becoming immediately and permanently different from what they were, only moments ago, when we never saw it coming.

I’m reminded of a child’s mobile–not a cell phone, but that thing we like to hang over a child’s bed, with lots of objects hanging off it. It is better described by Wikipedia this way:

A mobile is a type of kinetic sculpture constructed to take advantage of the principle of equilibrium. It consists of a number of rods, from which weighted objects or further rods hang. The objects hanging from the rods balance each other, so that the rods remain more or less horizontal. Each rod hangs from only one string, which gives it the freedom to rotate about the string. An ensemble of these balanced parts hang freely in space, by design without coming into contact with each other.

Change acts just like one of these mobiles. When one part is moved, it affects all the other parts, throwing everything out of balance for a while, losing its equilibrium. Eventually, everything will settle in its new place, forever altered from where things were sitting before. Likening this to our experiences of change, this can be a very uncomfortable process.

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8 ESV)

Christians follow the Wind of the Spirit. We all know that wind changes. It changes direction and strength, swiftly and without warning. If we are people of the Spirit, we must be prepared for change, as much as that is possible. I think our preparation really comes down to our acceptance of it, whenever it comes. That we are to expect it to arrive sooner or later, and when it does, we are to accept it, go with it, and let it carry us where God wants it to.

Being born of the Spirit is about readiness to follow. We are to follow the Spirit wherever He leads. That will require change to our paradigms, lifestyles, preferences, choices, goals, and character as He transforms and conforms us to the image of Jesus Christ. We will need to learn to give up and let go of things we would otherwise cling to. We will need to move on and past the comforts and securities we set up for ourselves or that we get from others, and we must be ready at the drop of a hat.

But the Spirit is gentle and is an exceptional teacher. We learn His leadings, and He teaches us through one little experience at a time, until He can entrust us with more weighty and costly experiences. We can trust Him to be kind to us and not to expect too much of us too soon! Although, He does intend to mature us from babes to sons.

Part of the Spirit’s leading, of course, is to follow His promptings, direction, instructions, and discipline, as He leads us into all truth. He leads us according to the mind and will of God, and He is our great Governor.

Why am I writing all this? Just to say that change, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, as per the will of God, is necessary and good, though frequently uncomfortable, and disconcerting. As human beings, we are prone to seek comfort and familiarity, but that is not the way of the Christian. Our comfort and familiarity lies in our knowledge of God, our assurance of His love, steadfastness, faithfulness, His eternal word and the nature of Christ. And the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, nurtures us in that knowledge–not a head knowledge but an experiential knowledge, as we grow in a real and intimate relationship with our Lord.

The times, they are’a changin’ on a global scale, we would have to be blind not to notice. And they must change. If we know our Bibles, we’ll realise that. I remember some years back, coming to terms with the fact that one day, this planet would be no more. That one day there would be a new earth. I went through a time of grieving, until the Lord brought me through to accept that reality. After that time, I have seen this planet through different eyes. It is temporal. Everything here is temporal. This life is temporal. We are called to look unto those things that are eternal. That is where we will find our security, strength and joy in these changing times.

Whether we are facing changes in our lives on a micro level, or we are trying to cope with the global changes that are way out of our control, our security and solid ground is found in God alone. The One who never changes. The only reliable, unchanging One throughout all eternity. The sovereign One, who is above all things and overseeing all things and who will one day, sum up all things in His Son, who is His visible image and who lives inside us.

So, even though change makes us nervous, it pulls the rug out from under our feet, it unsettles us for a considerable time, ultimately, because we know the One in whom we have believed, we know that change is good. All things work for our good, for those who love Him and are called according to HIS purpose. Let’s trust Him today, and follow the Wind of the Spirit wherever He leads.