All Things New
New home in a new town. New job duties. New church family. For the past year, my life has been in a consistent state of transition and little of what I knew as familiar remained untouched. While the thought of something new--be it a new outfit, a new relationship, a new opportunity--may create a swirl of excitement in us, the idea of change also has the ability to reveal deep places of insecurity and fear.
Late last spring when we were living with family while waiting for our house to be built, I was cleaning the grill when I suddenly became overwhelmed with the instability I felt, and I put my head down on the cover and cried. We had left the security of a ministry where we had served for over twenty years to build something from seemingly nothing as we were planting a church in a nearby community. Our kids keenly felt the uncertainty of the unknown as much as we tried to create stability where possible. We had experienced transition in ministry before--a lot of it, as a matter of fact--but this time was different. Grateful beyond expression, we had experienced tremendous support from our family, our home church and other church planters. But no one could tell us the future, and we were leaving behind everything that had been consistent for something we had yet to see. Exciting, yes. Scary, absolutely.
In this season of change, however, I have learned much about the consistency of God.
Late last spring when we were living with family while waiting for our house to be built, I was cleaning the grill when I suddenly became overwhelmed with the instability I felt, and I put my head down on the cover and cried. We had left the security of a ministry where we had served for over twenty years to build something from seemingly nothing as we were planting a church in a nearby community. Our kids keenly felt the uncertainty of the unknown as much as we tried to create stability where possible. We had experienced transition in ministry before--a lot of it, as a matter of fact--but this time was different. Grateful beyond expression, we had experienced tremendous support from our family, our home church and other church planters. But no one could tell us the future, and we were leaving behind everything that had been consistent for something we had yet to see. Exciting, yes. Scary, absolutely.
In this season of change, however, I have learned much about the consistency of God.
He never changes.
He never forgets.
He never leaves.
Almost a year later, we are living in our own home, we have seen the Lord work miracles with the church plant, and our kids are gradually adjusting. But we still live in the unknown. Somewhere in it all, though, I have determined to know Him more. In His presence, I understand that He is the God of new things Who knows all things, and I am learning to be unafraid of the new, not because I have figured out how to maintain more control but because I have learned to be content with less.
So when change comes--as it inevitably will--fear not. He just might be about to make a roadway in your wilderness, a river in a desert you didn't realize you were inhabiting.
"Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert." --Isaiah 43:19 (NASB).
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