One of the biggest challenges to growth is our unwillingness to change, especially has we grow older. As I have written about the coming, sustained volatility you can expect to live in a fluctuating environment where all of your assumptions will be tested. Those who adapt to rapid change will not only survive but will flourish. Others will simply die a slow death. Jesus always supported life and the living and those are attributes of growth and change. His earthly ministry produced sudden change and shifted the thinking of those who had ears to hear and eyes to see.
The children of Israel were stuck in Egypt as slaves “doing their time” in the “cursed” time cycle. Daily life was pretty well lined out for them. Then suddenly Our Heavenly Father delivered them out of Egypt. They were thrust into the wilderness without the ability to sustain themselves for they had no infrastructure, only The Word of THE LORD. Promptly, THE LORD provided the necessities of food and water, heating and cooling, and THE LAW to live by. They had operated under man’s law based on fear but now they were going to operate by Heaven’s standard of faith. Change was dramatic. They were birthed out of Egypt just as a baby leaves the warmth of the womb. Yes, they cried as well.
We are embarking on a time of change. The current system is being held together by duct tape. MacGyver is gone and the duct tape is beginning to deteriorate. We have been taught the message of “Faith” for hundreds of years and faith will be required as massive change takes place. Those who resist change can be compared to the children of Israel who wanted to return to Egypt when things became difficult. Perhaps the greatest difficulty will come when some family members fail to embrace change.
With change will come revelation to those who are called to minister and they will be equipped to deal with the issues that arise as a result of the various aspects of change. The path to greater revelation may seem lonely at times but the Holy Spirit will comfort those who need assurance and confirmation that they are indeed on the right path. On the other hand, those who resist change will suffer as the winds of change are sometimes violent by nature and volatility will be common during the transition. Romans 12 remind us, “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer”.
Paul clearly states that we must be patient in tribulation (suffering) therefore expect some suffering to occur. Many Christians hope they won’t have to endure suffering during the Great Tribulation but just as the children of Israel were surely affected by the cries of death at Passover, we too will be affected by the suffering of those who have been caught up in lawlessness and sin. This is where we must let patience have its perfect work and know that Our Heavenly Father does and allows everything to move each of us to a point of reconciliation with HIM. Our short term view of the big picture pales in comparison to HIS overall plan of redemption of mankind. We must trust that all change is initiated by Our Heavenly Father and based on HIS never-ending Love for each of us, no matter what condition we are in.
These times will require us to be “instant in prayer”. The word “instant” means:
1) to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one
2) to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing
3) to continue all the time in a place
4) to persevere and not to faint
5) to show one’s self courageous for
6) to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly
It will be crucial for us to communicate with Our Heavenly Father and I would suggest listening over petitioning. HE knows our every need and has a complete understanding of ALL things whereas our own limitations are so great, we are at risk of asking amiss. We are encouraged to “wait on THE LORD”:
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
I’ve got a feeling that our hearts shall soon need strengthened!