Changes

I've noticed a lot of changes going on around me lately.  There's been health scares, divorces, job changes, new schools, moves to a new town, "kids" heading off to college, and death.  All taking place in the lives of some of my dearest friends.   And while there never seems to be a good time for change, it comes.  Sometimes we have a warning that things are about to change, but sometimes it sneaks up and surprises us.  Catches us off guard.  We are unprepared for it and left with our heads spinning wondering what just happened. 

The only constant about change is that its inevitable.  It's coming.  Whether we receive a warning signal announcing its arrival or not, rest assured change will come.  All of the scenarios I mentioned have affected people I love dearly within the past few months.  Some are excited about the changes and some are still reeling from the affect that it has taken on their lives. It may take some longer than others to accept the change that has come to their lives, but however they've responded to it's appearance, the one constant and unchanging factor in all of their lives is God's presence. 

We are promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  No matter what life throws at us, He is always there to comfort and protect us.  He even tells us that things will change; He gives us a warning.  Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 tells us that there is a time and a season to everything.  The rock group The Byrds recorded a popular song based on this scripture in 1965.  It was even included as a part of the Forest Gump Soundtrack in the 90s, serving as a gentle reminder that, just like in the life of Forest Gump, change will occur in our lives as well. 

Forest faced many adversities in his life.  He was ridiculed as a child.  He left home to enter a new environment with the military, had to make new friends, went to war, became injured (in the buttocks), changed careers, and eventually had to cope with heartbreak and death.  And just as the seasons "turn turn turn" in the song and Forest's life changes throughout the movie, our lives sometimes incur change as well.

Change doesn't have to be overwhelming to us though.  In Hebrews we are reminded that God will never leave us nor forsake us.  No matter what is happening and what changes are occurring in our lives, He's the one constant that we can turn to for peace and comfort.  He's always there.  Never leaves.  We get busy and forget about His promise to continually walk with us but when we're ready for Him, He's there.  Just as He promised.  Never leaving or forsaking us.  Never changing.