3 Keys to Live with Confidence in a Changeable World

 

Spring is coming, bringing the hope of change to warmer weather. A few warm days teased me to think winter is over. It’s time to put away the heavy winter sweaters.

But then a late winter weather system blows through, plunging the temperature with strong, cold winds and a mix of ice, sleet, and in some places, snow.

Keep the sweaters and warm socks handy, after all.

 

Change is one thing that is certain, whether it’s in the seasons or life situations. We expect one outcome but get a different one.

In the last year, we’ve seen changes in our daily lives, not just the weather. The pandemic has altered aspects of health care, education, church and family life, to name a few. It’s confusing to know how to live in such a changeable world.

Living in a changeable world takes faith in God, courage, and flexibility.

Faith requires trusting that the Lord is sovereign and is in control. God’s presence has been evident in the past, is with us in the present, and will continue with us in the future as we turn to Him. He is already there.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Corrie Ten Boom was a woman of deep faith who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during Nazi Germany. Her faith sustained her when she didn’t know if she would live another day. After her release, she wrote and spoke for the Lord, encouraging believers to live a life of love and forgiveness. She said,

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

God can be trusted in the midst of uncertainty and change. He sees the beginning, the middle, and the end of the situation.

If you’re facing uncertainty in a decision, pray, and seek the Lord for guidance. He is with you in the uncertainty.

Courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

It requires perseverance to press through when obstacles hinder you and want to quit. It takes courage to keep showing up, living your faith.

With the world seemingly being turned upside down, personal courage is necessary to live a life of faith.

These words, written to encourage Joshua in the Old Testament, speak to us today:

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV

Are you facing a tough situation? Feeling weary of continual change?

Stand firm in faith with courage to move forward.

Flexibility has become a necessary skill in navigating life. Just like flexibility helps the body to move better, flexibility of spirit helps us navigate life changes.

It’s hard to release our grip on expectations, especially when we don’t know to expect next. Flexibility allows us to relax our grasp of how we think things “should” be, and open our hands to receive new possibilities from God.

God is able to help us adapt and be flexible.

2 Corinthians 9:8 says,

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

The Word reminds us to look to the Lord for confidence to overcome change and uncertainty.

Change will continue to happen in life.

God is our confidence so we can stand firm in faith, keep courage, and be flexible to live through life changes with grace.

Spring will eventually arrive. God has set the seasons in motion, according to his time. Warm days and budding trees will soon appear. Sweaters will be stored away.

Life will again change.