Change

People always say that "change is good." Heck, I tell other people that all the time. I think what I am really saying is, "change is good...for you."

There are many areas of my life right now that seem to be changing, though every single one of the changes is being caused by change in another's life, rather than my own. It is hard accepting change that you have absolutely no control over. It is as if I am feeling the strains and stresses of change, while not experiencing any of the excitement change often brings. In my heart, I'm fighting the changes.

As humans, we rarely see how our actions affect change in the lives of others. For example, when I decided to move down to College Station from Lubbock, I was thinking about the changes in my own life and Jesse's life, rather than say, my roommate's life in Lubbock who had to quickly find a new roommate. My choice of change, forced her to change.

I have many friends who are choosing to change. Each of their chosen paths of change are exciting, dreams come true, and clearly right for them. Each of their choices to make the change are calling me to a reality check in my own life. I have been used to changing every six months to a year. During college, change is constant. Changing classes every semester, changing your major or minor if you feel like, changing your housing every nine months to a year, etc. Since I have graduated, I have been in the same place, doing the same things, day after day. And though I often become bored with the routine, I have also become comfortable. I'm comfortable with my circle of friends, how we communicate, where we hang out, and what we do for fun. I'm comfortable at my job, where I do not know it all nor am I expected to know it all. I'm comfortable with my marriage, our hobbies, our communication, and our plan for the future. I'm not ready for change!

Yet change comes whether I'm ready or not. Whether it is a friend having a baby, and knowing that our friendship and free times will never again be the same, or having a friend and great co-worker moving on to a new and better job; change is inevitable. Perhaps God is bringing the change into my life through the lives of others because I have been too stubborn and complacent to choose change for myself. Only He knows.

I am praying that God will soften my heart to the changes He is bringing in my life. Change IS good, and it does come from Him. Whether I am the chooser of change, or the extension of change, Lord please help me to accept it all as a gift from you. Give me the strength to endure the hard times and look forward to the good times. Help me realize the friendships can and should change, as long as we remember to change with them. Change is your plan. Remind me:

Change...is good.