The Horror of Change

Don't fear change! Or we may just be insane.

Finishing up .. Wars – I found it appropriate to speak to you about ….CHANGE. We hear the word all the time…from politicians, about climate issues, from changing our ways of thinking; over time we've heard many quotes about change. Here's a few: The more things change the more they remain the same. Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

Nothing endures but change. Heraclitus

A leopard doesn't change its spots.

Change your thoughts and you'll change your world. Norman Vincent Peale

Change is a constant companion in our lives.

Statistics tell us that every day in America:

- 108,000 of us move to a different home.
- 18,000 move to another state.
- 700 are moving to Florida.
- 40 Americans turn one hundred.
- 5800 turn sixty-five.
- 167 businesses go bankrupt.
- 689 new ones start up.
- 100 Americans become millionaires.
- 45,000 new automobiles and trucks are purchased, and 87,000 of them are smashed.
-6300 people get divorced.

If I asked you the question; "if you could change one thing about yourself; what would it be? …we would have a bunch of different responses. We talk about A LOT about change! But we do very little of it. The problem is people say all the time that they want change…but when it really comes down to it… they aren't that ready to put in the work. It's just so much easier to remain the same.

It takes real work to change. It doesn't happen easily… that's the reason for the statement – a leopard doesn't change its spots. There are a lot of outward changes that we can see Americans doing everyday but sadly most people who are struggling with issues just end up bringing those same issues into their new lives over and over again because they never truly change on the inside. That's because change takes discipline and we can be a pretty lazy society. There is a saying that I'm sure you've heard me quote before by Albert Einstein – it is that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.

We can be a pretty insane bunch!

Here are 5 reasons why people don't make positive changes in their lives.

1.    Fear: People do not make changes in their lives because they're afraid. They are afraid of the unknown; afraid of persecution, afraid of being alienated from their friends and family.  I've heard it said before that the only people who like change are babies with wet diapers. That is probably true. We fear change. We fear change disrupting our daily routines. We hate it when we have to get up earlier than normal. We fear change a lot.

2.     Comfort: People who become very comfortable with their life; do not want change, even if it will be positive.

Comfort can also be disguised as indifference, laziness or apathy. Comfortable people can be very exasperating to work with… they don't want to stay late, get up early or do anything that might take a bit more work. They don't have opinions on things and they don't see the reason why others are so passionate about something because they just don't care beyond their tiredness or the things they would rather be doing.

3.    Complacency. Is kind of on the lines of comfort but also thrown into it is the unawareness factor. Complacent people are unaware that there is danger, trouble or controversy. The world itself is in a very complacent state. There is a bad moon on the rise but a lot of people would rather bury their heads in the sand and just pretend that it's not coming.

4.     Programming: People who have been educated or coerced to "believe" that their belief systems are correct and that they do not need to change. Sometimes it's a family that has spent all its time and energy pushing education but hasn't spent any time at all developing relationships between each other and then they cannot understand why it is that there is no closeness between them. Or there are some people who belong to a political party but they don't even actually know what the party stands for except that their family has always been a part of that Party. There are also some people who don't even actually attend a church but yet they still claim a certain denomination because that is what their mom, dad, grandma and grandpa have always done.

5.   Ego:  OR pride; it's what I spoke to you about last week – some people believe that they are beyond the need for change. There are always those who are just prideful and will not change because they cannot see that they could ever be wrong no matter what. They are the old dog who can't be taught new tricks. You try to get them to see a different perspective and all they can see is that you just don't get it and that they are so much farther along than you are.

All these issues of why people won't accept change are the same reasons why people won't accept the free gift of salvation. People won't accept it because it means change. And it doesn't just happen on its own – it's got to be intentional. And most interesting of all – it doesn't take a degree, money or age or beauty to do it – it just takes a willing heart. Matthew 18:3 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven."

Change required by Jesus begins with being humble, dependant on Him, weak in your own strengths and willingly allowing Jesus to mold us.

He expects us to change:

1.    By turning away from everything that is ungodly.

2.    By turning to God and becoming more like Him.

 Donald Stamps who wrote the Full Life Study Bible says that conversion is not done by a single act of sorrow or penitence but instead, an all embracing attitude of life.

This is necessary because by nature we follow a life that leads away from God and toward eternal death. Conversion – True REAL Change is the human response to God's free gift of salvation through faith. Because of our new relationship with God – our conversion involves changes in the areas of our relationships, habits, commitments, pleasures and our whole life view. We are to CHANGE. 

But understand that God Himself doesn't change.  His word tells us in James 1:17 every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

We serve a stable, reliable, faithful God who loves us with all of His and His Son's heart. We are truly blessed in His patience in waiting for us to work on our changes.

Please change, we cannot afford to stay the same; we need to STOP THE INSANITY!!!!