Walking around my hometown in India where I grew up and have spent most of my life, I am intrigued by how much the city has changed over the years. What was once a small and laid-back city in the early ’80s has exploded into a major technological hub and a thriving metropolis. Cinema halls we frequented as youngsters have been demolished to make way for shopping malls and office spaces, older buildings have been torn down to make way for new structures, and new flyovers have been constructed to ease the burgeoning traffic. The cozy city of bygone days has almost become unrecognizable.
And it’s not just my hometown. Change is a global phenomenon. Even the great empires of the past flourished for a season and faded into oblivion. They may have straddled the world like a colossus for a while, but were all replaced by a newer power. The only vestiges of their existence are now confined to history books and archaeological sites and relics.
We live in an age of such rapid change that it can be unsettling at times. Whether in politics or economics or technology, things are in a constant state of flux. It’s human nature to want to resist change and stick to the status quo, but we’re forced to either adapt to these changes or be left behind. As a quote from the classic book Who Moved My Cheese? says, “The quicker you let go of Old Cheese, the sooner you can enjoy New Cheese.”
Continual change prevents stagnation and decay. Even the days and seasons go through cycles which must be completed. God is always effecting change in every sphere of His creation. As the Bible says, “The things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”1
No matter what changes around us, it is comforting to know that we believe in a God who does not change and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.2 Our faith in Jesus is like an anchor for our souls that holds us secure and steadfast when we are buffeted by the winds of change.3 As Christians, we can embrace any changes in life boldly, knowing that we trust in a God who does not change in His essence, His words, and His promises to us.4