I do ‘change’ for a living. I help companies install new computer systems, redesign business processes to be more efficient, train employees on how to do their job differently, find new ways to look at data for improved decision-making. My job is all about being an ambassador for change. Change is good, I always say.
Yet, when change hits my own life, I don’t always find it as easy to accept. Status quo is nice – it’s known, it’s safe, it’s comfortable. Change means facing something new, sometimes something unexpected or unwanted. It can take us places we never wanted to go.
What is your default response to change – fight, flight or prayer?
What about you? How do you respond when change hits? Getting married, bringing a child into your family, taking a new job, getting laid off from a job, moving to another city, you or someone you love getting sick, someone close to you dying? These are just a few examples of changes that can happen in our lives. What’s your initial reaction to change? Do you look at it as an opportunity, a chance to grow or try something new, or are you resistant, fearful, overwhelmed?
Several years ago, I watched a friend from high school go through an incredibly difficult pregnancy. She blogged about her journey through this pregnancy, through all the dire diagnoses and predictions from the doctors.
What drew me in the most, though, was her approach to the whole experience. She was inexplicably full of joy and hope about her pregnancy, at peace with whatever the outcome would be. I remember her writing that this child would have a testimony, even if she didn’t live past birth. What a way to face such a heart-wrenching change in your life!
I started to wonder how she was so able to face this journey with joy and hope. How could she be so positive in the face of such so many unknowns, so many potential tragic outcomes?
The answer was her faith. She had cultivated a deep faith in God well before this change hit her life and she was able to draw on it to sustain her through this challenge. She trusted so completely in God that she knew He could make something good come from this experience, no matter the outcome.
Through faith, we can reset our default response to change.
Watching this friend’s struggle and her steady faith throughout, I decided I wanted a faith like that!
I want to be able to boldly and bravely face whatever life throws at me, trusting completely in God for the final outcome.
I want to rely on prayer and actually believe God can work miracles.
I want to stay afloat through my trials and not drown under the weight of the struggle.
What about you? Would you like to be able to face your worst trial with hope and joy?
Over the next 12 weeks, I’m focusing on this topic of change. We’ll look at types of changes we encounter in life, our default response to these changes and how we can get better at handling change. We’ll also look at lessons from Simon Peter and what he learned about handling change. Peter was, by most accounts, the best friend of Jesus. He walked side-by-side with Jesus, so we’ll see what he learned through that experience about handling change better.
[reminder preface=”Question: “]What is your default response to change – fight, flight or prayer? Do you think it’s possible to change our default and experience change in a better way?[/reminder]
I hope you’ll join me for this series as we look together at A Better Change!
[callout]This post is part of the “A Better Change” series. For more information on this series and to find related posts, click here: A Better Change Series – Overview[/callout]
Sharing with: Unforced Rhythms, Testimony Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Wednesday Prayer Girls, Saturday Soiree
A Better Change: Reset Your Default Response – Prayer & Possibilities
I do ‘change’ for a living. I help companies install new computer systems, redesign business processes to be more efficient, train employees on how to do their job differently, find new ways to look at data for improved decision-making. My job is all about being an ambassador for change. Change is good, I always say.
Yet, when change hits my own life, I don’t always find it as easy to accept. Status quo is nice – it’s known, it’s safe, it’s comfortable. Change means facing something new, sometimes something unexpected or unwanted. It can take us places we never wanted to go.
What is your default response to change – fight, flight or prayer?
What about you? How do you respond when change hits? Getting married, bringing a child into your family, taking a new job, getting laid off from a job, moving to another city, you or someone you love getting sick, someone close to you dying? These are just a few examples of changes that can happen in our lives. What’s your initial reaction to change? Do you look at it as an opportunity, a chance to grow or try something new, or are you resistant, fearful, overwhelmed?
Several years ago, I watched a friend from high school go through an incredibly difficult pregnancy. She blogged about her journey through this pregnancy, through all the dire diagnoses and predictions from the doctors.
What drew me in the most, though, was her approach to the whole experience. She was inexplicably full of joy and hope about her pregnancy, at peace with whatever the outcome would be. I remember her writing that this child would have a testimony, even if she didn’t live past birth. What a way to face such a heart-wrenching change in your life!
I started to wonder how she was so able to face this journey with joy and hope. How could she be so positive in the face of such so many unknowns, so many potential tragic outcomes?
The answer was her faith. She had cultivated a deep faith in God well before this change hit her life and she was able to draw on it to sustain her through this challenge. She trusted so completely in God that she knew He could make something good come from this experience, no matter the outcome.
Through faith, we can reset our default response to change.
Watching this friend’s struggle and her steady faith throughout, I decided I wanted a faith like that!
I want to be able to boldly and bravely face whatever life throws at me, trusting completely in God for the final outcome.
I want to rely on prayer and actually believe God can work miracles.
I want to stay afloat through my trials and not drown under the weight of the struggle.
What about you? Would you like to be able to face your worst trial with hope and joy?
Over the next 12 weeks, I’m focusing on this topic of change. We’ll look at types of changes we encounter in life, our default response to these changes and how we can get better at handling change. We’ll also look at lessons from Simon Peter and what he learned about handling change. Peter was, by most accounts, the best friend of Jesus. He walked side-by-side with Jesus, so we’ll see what he learned through that experience about handling change better.
[reminder preface=”Question: “]What is your default response to change – fight, flight or prayer? Do you think it’s possible to change our default and experience change in a better way?[/reminder]
I hope you’ll join me for this series as we look together at A Better Change!
[callout]This post is part of the “A Better Change” series. For more information on this series and to find related posts, click here: A Better Change Series – Overview[/callout]
Sharing with: Unforced Rhythms, Testimony Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Wednesday Prayer Girls, Saturday Soiree