My sister and I are very close and love spending time together, but this wasn’t always the case. Growing up, we shared a bedroom together, and as you can probably imagine, our living situation sometimes caused tension in our home. More than a few sibling rivalries erupted over our close quarters.
I looked up to my sister, and in many ways I wanted to be like her, but the truth was… she and I couldn’t have been more different.
One of the ways we greatly differed was our ability to adapt to change. My sister loved change. As a matter of fact, she thrived on it. I, however, am a creature of habit. Sharing a bedroom with this fundamental difference in our personalities caused friction in our relationship from time to time.
There were many days when I would come home to find our bedroom completely rearranged. Our beds, dressers, nightstands – everything would be in a different place. It drove me crazy! To this day, every time I visit my sister’s house, her furniture is in a different place.
At first I hated the changes made to our room, but as time went by, I began to embrace the new arrangement, and sometimes I even came to like it better. Unfortunately, just about the time I got used to the new configuration, you guessed it, she changed the room again.
We often hear the expression that change is good. And it can be, depending on the circumstance. But change isn’t always good. In fact, I can think of one way in particular that I’m extremely thankful for rock solid stability.
“I the LORD do not change.” (Malachi 3:6a)
What a comforting thought!
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
God is perfect. Therefore, He doesn’t need to change.
We, on the other hand, need modification from time to time. Since God’s ultimate purpose is that we become a reflection of Him, we must allow God to mold and shape us as necessary. As long as we have breath, slowly but surely, we are being transformed into the image of our Lord.
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
How ironic… the One who never changes is the only One who can evoke true and lasting change in you and me.
