Change is a subject that never seems to go out of style. The words we use to describe change in motion are many – transformation, evolution, revolution, and innovation come to mind. There are movements that come from intentional action and decisions, with others occurring as a result of random acts and unseen hands.
I have come to see change without attaching an automatic emotional tag. Change, in itself, is not a good or bad event. The movement is not right or wrong. Change is a natural part of life. If it we stand still, the world around us changes. The larger story we are in shows that change relentlessly walks with time, touching everyone along the way. The only escape anyone has from its grasp comes with death.
As I consider the change in my life, I realize that while I am able to see external changes around me, I am often unaware of the change within. It is as if my heart and mind are changing without my knowledge! My initial reaction to the realization was one of gaining control. As quickly as the desire from within came, I realized that the controls I am able to use are inputs to who and what I am. Change is not always within my control. Change within me occurs as a result of where I spend my time, what decisions I made, and the experiences I have.
A writer described the change with a future event in two ways – visible and invisible. “On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we’ll all be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15.53) It is a description that speaks to the change constantly flowing around and through me.
While you and I cannot control the change that hits us, we have the freedom to direct the change within. We control how we feed our hearts and minds. We can shape how Life touches our souls.
