Day 20 - Faith to change.

I've been in a lot of churches. As a preachers kid I learned about the 6 letter 4 letter word among my fellow Christians. That 6 letter 4 letter word is "Change".

I remember specifically a special fight between two women over the sound booth at church. I was too young to realize how not proud I should have been at that moment. But I still remember the conflict even years later.

We fight over song services a lot, the color of the walls, a change of carpeting, whether the organ is moved off the platform, whether the name of the church could be changed, and a plethora of other things - any things that concern change.

I get it. It's hard to change, whatever you're doing is comfortable. You know, that whatever you're doing is right, so especially when it comes to spiritual things you tend to worry that whatever you change to might be wrong. If what you're doing is right, then surely, doing anything different would be wrong - right?

Here is the terrific thing about trusting God, faith in God. Where He leads you, is good. When He presents the opportunity for a new person to take over the sound booth, or a new instrument to be introduced to your music section, or even gives you a good deal on new pews.... the change is for the better. It's just wonderful. It does change things and it's almost always challenging as well - but sometimes change.. oh that beautiful change can make you gasp in pleasure, reel in wonder, and simply delight in the fresh glow of opportunity. I've personally been blessed with 5 of the most wonderfully challenging blessings a person could ask for.

You can have faith for the change, that when it comes, you might be afraid, you might be worried, but you do it anyway. Regardless of the fear, the money issues, the conflict worries, the fact that your few friends might leave you... Gods intended change is always good.

And that's a beautiful thing.

It's easy to live life worrying, and doubting. Not fun, but easy. But that whole "t'is so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word, just to rest upon His promise, just to know thus saith the Lord" is absolutely true. Sweet. It's sweet, refreshing, delightful, restful, and exciting beyond the ability to rest.

It doesn't have to just be painful and scary, and disturbing. Trust. Have faith, that these things don't just happen. Have faith in God. Have faith for change. Have faith for things to be different than what you're used to. Have faith that God knows the outcome of the change even when you don't.
Have faith, that God never loses control of the situation/ministry/family even when it changes. He's there.
He's there when the two old ladies start fighting over the songs you're going to sing.
He's there when the two old men start fighting over what guest speakers should be allowed.
He's there when your youth group starts pushing for the electric guitar in the music section, and ask to turn up the volume.
He's there. He knows what to do. He knows what change should take place - and best of all - when it should take place.

He's there. Period. He's in change. Because even though the world changes, our methods of worship change, our songs change, our pews change, God doesn't change. All that stuff is just fluff to Him. He just wants our hearts. Worshipping Him with our whole heart, even when we don't understand. Worshipping Him with our whole heart, even when we're not sure of the song. Worshipping Him with our whole heart, even when our whole heart hurts.

God doesn't change. But He sure wants us to.