Change Is Good!

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

Nature shows us change is good,
Nothing remains the same.
Mountains fall, storm clouds clear,
To the glory of His Name.


Trees bear witness that change is good,
Growing through each season.
They don't fight the change that comes;
The changes have a reason.


In the fall leaves turn into
Colorful oranges, yellows, reds;
Dressed to the nines, you might say;
The change worries not their heads.
The change is good.


Winter comes and all the leaves
Fall off the beautiful trees.
Barren, dormant, but there's life
Underneath, where no one sees.
The change is good!


Spring arrives and oh, what joy,
Seeing leaves begin to sprout!
Ah, the trees are waking up,
Ready to produce, no doubt!
The change is good!


Summer is here and what do we see?
All the trees in full bloom-
Beautiful flowers, juicy fruits,
The trees showing off their plume!
The change is good!


Soon fall will come, as will change,
Yet the trees continue to grow.
So take a tip from the trees,
Trust in God and let change flow!

Change! Whether you love it or hate it, we know it’s going to happen. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant thing in life.” We can certainly agree with that! You don’t have to look too far into the past to see changes in your life. I’m generally not a fan of change. I’m a creature of habit and like routines. I would be the one in the group that would lament, “But we’ve always done it this way!” Even if deep down I know the change would be better, I still struggle to embrace it. In John 5:6, Jesus asks the lame man if he wants to get well. My immediate thought was Of course he does! Why else would he be there every day? But if you start thinking about it, does he really want to change? Scripture says he’d been in this condition for 38 years! Surely someone would have helped him by now if he really wanted to be healed. But, he was familiar with his routine, and a change would disrupt that. He’d become comfortable with his situation, even if it was not ideal. Sometimes we need more than a nudge to accept change in our lives.

Change is hard and often painful, but it produces good fruit in us! We have to process through the change. First, we notice the change is happening. We contemplate what this will look like. We ask God to give us a new perspective. Then we go through a period of letting go of what was. Often times, this means a change in our attitude. We need to throw out the rotting fruit and replace it with good fruit. (Galatians 5:22 But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.) With God’s help, we begin to embrace the beauty of the new development. We discover what is good about it and adapt. Before long, the change has become part of our every day life, and we are thriving once again.

Although routines have an important place in our lives, we need to leave room for change. Routines can lead to complacency, especially in our faith. God doesn’t want us to become so complacent in our faith that we aren’t willing to learn from Him. Part of my morning routine includes reading a devotional. I don’t want this time with God to become just another item to check off my to-do list. If I’m not intentional in reading it, I can miss a lesson or blessing that God has for me. I need to give Him space to mold me.

My friends, in this season of change, ask God to give you an open heart and see that change is good!

Lord, You have shown through nature how change is good.
As we experience changes in our lives, help us find the good in them.
Work in our hearts, our minds, and our souls to become more and more like You. Amen