This month, our word of the month is Change.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines change as, “To make different; to make radically different; to transform; to give a different position, course or direction to; to replace with another, to make a shift from one to another; to exchange for an equivalent sum or money; to undergo a modification of; to put fresh clothes or covering on; to become different; transition or substitution; to make a transformation.”  In life, we should always be in the state of changing, because our world changes around us and we have to adapt to our changing world.  When we are children, the way in which we think and behave is different from the way in which we think and behave as adults (or at least it should be).  When we are children, we think about playing with toys, with friends, watching our favorite television show, being nurtured and fed, sleeping, and learning how to learn and grow into our teenage years.  As we develop into teenagers, we begin to think differently than how we thought as children and our behaviors become more mature.  As teens, we think about our appearances more, what we wear, what schools we will attend, who we hang out with, what we do, and how we will develop into adulthood.  When we become adults, our thoughts and behaviors shift from how we thought as teens and children, to how we think about adulthood.  As adults, we think about how we will take care of ourselves and/or our family, where we will live, what we want to do with our time, who we want to share our time with, how we pay our bills, and what will we do with our lives.  This is all a part of transitioning from childhood into adulthood, which ultimately means, Change.

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Going through these stages of change can be uncomfortable and scary, especially if we want to still think and behave childlike. However, change is necessary for growth.  As the Bible states in 1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”  KJV (Source: BibleGateway.com).  As we get older, we have to evolve. Life is not about staying the same, life is about growing and evolving into the person that God has created you to be.  Embracing change comes with maturity.  We have to adapt to the changing world around us, whether we like change or not.  This adaptation is actually change, whether we want to admit it or not.  Our life experiences will teach us that change is inevitable.  As we lose friends, jobs, loved ones, time, money, etc., we have to adapt to those life events and make the necessary adjustments in our lives in effort to be able to function, survive and thrive. Our lives can change in an instant, so we have to constantly to be ready and willing to adapt to our changing environment.  If you lose a job, you cannot focus on the job loss so much that it immobilizes you from applying for other job opportunities, you have to make the necessary adjustments mentally, so that you can move forward into your new job.  If you lose your spouse, you cannot dwell in the loss of your spouse, you have to adjust your mindset to finding a way to continue to live past the pain and move on to dating again.  If you lose your friends, you cannot close yourself up from the possibility of meeting new friends, you have to be open to meeting new people.  If you lose money, you cannot become so closed minded and tight fist, that it prevents you from thinking about new ways of making revenue.  If you lose time, because you are dwelling in any of those places of loss, you have to remember that time is one thing that you do not get back; so you have to make necessary adjustments to make the best out of the time that you have Now. 

 

Life is all about making adjustments/changes to get you to a place where you can be at peace, and experience real love, and joy.  Because, the world is constantly changing around us, it is impossible to remain the same and still have real peace, love and joy, if we don’t adapt well to life changes.  So, be open to changing whatever is necessary for your growth.  To do so, you have to be willing to give up old things, old behaviors, and old ways of thinking that is preventing you from growing and developing your good character.  This means that you have to “die to self” (metaphor for change, *Mark 8:35), in effort to live your life in a more meaningful way.  Remaining the same, will produce the same results, but changing for the better will produce better outcomes.  It is okay to change, it doesn't mean that you are "selling out," "being phony," or "not being true to yourself," it just means that you are evolving into a better you.  You often hear people that do not embrace change well state, "I am who I am; accept me as I am, don't try to change me." However, let's take a deeper look at what that really means, by answering these questions honestly.  Who are you? How do you treat other people?   What do you stand for?  And, are you really satisfied with that description of yourself?  If you answered those questions honestly and you are good with your character and who you are at this current state, then you have arrived.  No need for you to change, unless it is necessary for continued growth.  But, if you are not satisfied with your answers, don't fear change, embrace it, change just might save you from making the same mistakes in life and you will be on your way to becoming a better person. Change.
*Mark 8:35: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.” 

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                                                                By Lynnette Clement