A Change Can Do You Good!

Change happens to everyone, and it’s happening all the time, all around us. Sometimes I feel the world is changing faster than some people can keep up with it. For instance, people’s tastes and expectations change. Our relationships change, our jobs change, our finances change, and what people value changes.

We are all products of the era in which we grew up, and we usually like things the way they were. While I am used to an eight-to-five workday, times have changed. Today, computers make it possible for many people to work from home at any time.

That’s one small example of how our world has changed. I have experienced many more changes in my life and ministry. Not all of them have been easy, but sometimes we must change whether we want to or not. The fact is, if we’re not willing to change, we will probably get left behind while everyone else moves on.

One of the Greatest Changes I’ve Made

About 20 years ago, our conference attendance was declining. As I looked at the people in the crowds, I noticed they were about the same age I was…and I realized that if we wanted to reach younger people for Jesus, we would have to do things differently.

Our son Daniel had recently been promoted to a position of authority within our ministry, and he suggested many changes that I initially resisted. He recommended having younger bands lead worship, updating the way I dressed, and modernizing the look of our platform. He also advised changing our monthly magazine and even redecorating some of our office space.

Honestly, I felt insulted by my son’s ideas, as though he was saying I had not done a good job. But he helped me understand that this wasn’t the case. I had taken the ministry to the point where it was, but the time had come when I needed input from people who were younger than me.

Even though I didn’t particularly like all the changes Dan suggested, we agreed to make them, and our ministry has grown as a result. Now when I look at the crowds at our conferences, I see people of all ages, from all walks of life, not just people of my generation. The growth our ministry has experienced has enabled us to help more people. Had I refused to change because of stubborn pride, I might not even have a ministry now.

Open Your Heart to Positive Change

I hope the story about our ministry helps you realize how important it is to be willing to be open to change. Perhaps you are facing some changes right now and are struggling with them, or perhaps you need to make some changes and are afraid to do so.

I know that change requires courage, but I also know that leaving behind an old season and embracing the new experiences God has for you will be worth it through any anxiety or fear. Don’t ever be afraid to give up the good to go for the great! We had a good ministry, but God used my willingness to change to make it better than ever.

Today, we are facing more changes and are still in the process of deciding what they should be. But I know that when God closes one door, He always opens another. Don’t miss what God wants to do in your life now because you are clinging to the past. Have the courage to change.

In Isaiah 43:18-19, God says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!

God Works Everything Out for Our Good!

I have needed many changes in my life over the years, and God has been faithful in bringing them about in His timing and in His ways. He has walked me through each one, and they have all been positive in the end. I needed these changes desperately, and I do not think they would have happened apart from a relationship with God.

The greatest change is God working inside of us. Though everything around us shakes and changes, God and His Word never change (Malachi 3:6; Isaiah 40:8). That’s why it’s so valuable to spend time in God’s Word…to talk with the Lord and simply pour out your heart. As you do, He will give you a positive vision for your future and fill you with faith about the good things ahead (Romans 8:28).

Change often hurts, but in the end, it frees us and makes us glad. The ability to change is one of the greatest privileges we have as human beings, and it is a gift from God. It is part of the way He matures us, brings us fulfillment in life, and moves us forward into His unfolding plans for us.

Matthew 19:26 reminds us that all things are possible with God. I encourage you to believe that positive change can happen in your life. Begin to speak aloud, “I can change” or “Things in my life can change.” As they do change, remember that as a believer, you don’t walk alone through the changes you face. The Holy Spirit is leading you…and guiding you along a path of wonderful growth and transformation.