How to Handle Change Well

Written by Lawrence Yoo

Many people have different views on change. If you’re like me, you think change is good. Optimists think things can always be better. In fact, optimists normally assume new things will probably be better. If you are pessimist or a realist, you think change might make things worse. Whatever your opinion, change is inevitable. Life is not static. We are constantly changing. I’m not here to convince you change is good. Or change is bad. Change is.

Because change will happen, the important question is: how do we handle change well? One way is to focus on what is unchangeable. God’s nature, character, and love will not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” (Hebrews 13:8) If that is our foundation then the winds of change cannot shake us.

The second way to handle change well is to acknowledge that we are not in control. Change can be scary because we don’t get to write every scene in our stories. But if we know the author, we can handle any plot twists that come our way. It is actually good news that we are not in control. He can handle the things that we cannot.

The last way is to remember God is our present strength and promise of future hope. Like Thomas Obadiah Chisholm’s hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” says, we have “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”

I write this as we are transitioning, changing, and growing as a church. I love where we’ve been, and I trust where God is taking us now. I’m excited to walk this journey with you as we hold onto the core values that have shaped us while embracing the newness He brings.