How do you feel about change? Remember your first day of school? Remember when you moved away from home the first time? Do you resist doing something different? Researchers report that the more we welcome change into our lives, the healthier our brains are - the stronger our faith becomes, too. I don't think any of us would want to stay in kindergarten all our lives or stay in the same job. One thing we can count on in life is change. Change can be a very good thing.
Many of the changes we experience as we age are not all that welcome. Where did all those wrinkles come from? Why don't I have the energy I used to have? Why do I have health problems? Nature teaches us that everything in this world is constantly changing. It's either growing or dying. There are some exceptions: God does not change, truth does not change and love does not change. Change is necessary to life. After a certain age, our bodies are in a constant state of repair. Our minds need to be challenged to stay healthy and our spiritual journey is constantly growing deeper or stagnating.
God has built into us a desire for change and a desire for keeping things the same. God knows change is necessary for every person to grow spiritually, which is our main job in this world. No matter how old we get, the need for growth in this area continues. We never "arrive," as far as we can go spiritually in this life. Sometimes we're so afraid to change. Living with the loss of good health, death of a loved one, a child's marriage, a graduation or a child leaving home for the first time, dying; all can cause great stress. It's easy to say we should look forward to changes and celebrate them, but sometimes those that are the best for us, make us cry.
As I look back at the changes in my life, I thought some were unpleasant at the time, but later I saw how they turned out to be blessings. We wouldn't be the people we are today without change. Disappointments and failures may turn out to be blessings. Some people resist change as they grow older or after a certain age. We tend to try to find a comfortable path - one with few changes and few challenges. When things are not going well, we may look back to the way it was in the past, and feel we should go back to it. It worked then; we should go back. But we can't go back. God insists that we keep moving forward - toward Him.
Life is going to throw changes at us that we don't understand or choose. Change can bring us closer to God or farther away. The challenge is to see change as a gift from God, an opportunity for holiness. With God's help, and lots of prayer, we will be able to accept the changes that come - not only to accept the changes, but thank God for them. They are all leading us to Him.
God has built into us a desire for change and a desire for keeping things the same. God knows change is necessary for every person to grow spiritually, which is our main job in this world. No matter how old we get, the need for growth in this area continues. We never "arrive," as far as we can go spiritually in this life. Sometimes we're so afraid to change. Living with the loss of good health, death of a loved one, a child's marriage, a graduation or a child leaving home for the first time, dying; all can cause great stress. It's easy to say we should look forward to changes and celebrate them, but sometimes those that are the best for us, make us cry.
As I look back at the changes in my life, I thought some were unpleasant at the time, but later I saw how they turned out to be blessings. We wouldn't be the people we are today without change. Disappointments and failures may turn out to be blessings. Some people resist change as they grow older or after a certain age. We tend to try to find a comfortable path - one with few changes and few challenges. When things are not going well, we may look back to the way it was in the past, and feel we should go back to it. It worked then; we should go back. But we can't go back. God insists that we keep moving forward - toward Him.
Life is going to throw changes at us that we don't understand or choose. Change can bring us closer to God or farther away. The challenge is to see change as a gift from God, an opportunity for holiness. With God's help, and lots of prayer, we will be able to accept the changes that come - not only to accept the changes, but thank God for them. They are all leading us to Him.
Are you busy getting ready for Christmas? Somehow even the entire idea of Christmas got changed. Some children make lists of stuff they don't need and give it to their parents. Before you settle on what presents to get for everybody, whether they need them or not - why not be creative this year and give something from the heart - a gift of time or self.
They forget that Christmas is about giving, not getting. Some parents and children are trying to change things, like giving coupons to each other, promising to play ball, take out garbage without complaining, baby-sitting, etc. Christmas is about others - are there poor children who need coats, scarfs, socks or toys? Jesus was born so we would be eternally happy with Him in heaven, but somehow we changed it, so now Christmas is all about us, instead of Him. Let's change Christmas this year and give Baby Jesus a surprise!
All my love and prayers,
Sister Francelle
sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com
Sister Francelle
sisterfrancelle.blogspot.com
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