I Hate Change!

I hate change! A friend of mine said that if I should go to hell and the angels were to discover the mistake, I would say, “I’m staying. I don’t like where I am, but change is worse. So if it’s okay with you, I think I’ll just stay here. I can cook hotdogs over this fire. And if you have some marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars, let me have those too. I’d rather eat s’mores in hell than go through any change in locale.”

I’m an adult child of an alcoholic. Among other things, that means I’m big time into control. I’m also a teetotaler and don’t drink. If one drinks, it can lead to being out of control and again, I’m big time into control. And being into control means that I don’t like change…any change.

For someone who hates change, I’m close to having a nervous breakdown. I really want to go and live in a monastery…but they won’t let me bring my wife.

Did I mention I hate change?

Here is a bit of comfort in a scary time…

When everything is changing, we have a rock. “…I will not leave you or forsake you…Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:1,5,9).

The Lord is our rock.

One of the most important attributes of God is his immutability. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

God is the only place I can go…and he will always be there. God never changes. Change is certainly inevitable, but in every change, there is God’s preparation and presence.

Did you hear the story about the man whose doctor told him that he was going to have to make some major changes or he was going to die? He started eating right and lost 30 pounds. He started running and built up his muscles. He rested and got a tan. Then the man was hit by a car. He cried out to God, “Why me?” And God answered, “Sam, to be honest, I didn’t even recognize you!”

One of the wonderful things about the doctrines of grace is that they tell me that God will never say, “I’ve had it with you” no matter how much I change. God has never had it with me. God will still recognize me. God will still love me. I’m his child, he chose me and he will never leave.

Have you ever been in an evangelistic service where an invitation was given? If you have then you know that sometimes the preacher or evangelist will say, “Turn to the person next to you and say, ‘If you go, I’ll go with you.’” That is what God has done for his own.

I have always known that God was there…even in, especially in, the dark. That’s my memorial and my rock. It is something I can lean on when everything else is shifting.