Nothing to Be Afraid Of

Change is something I don't do well.  It's like a 4-letter-word that's really 6 letters long.  I like predictable.  I like routine.  I like order.  I like control.  Or at least that's how I've lived a lot of my adult life.  Sometimes to the point that I'll stick with the "normal" simply because change is so intimidating to me.  I've been like one of those people in a bad relationship that stays simply because the comfort of the familiar is less intimidating that the fear of the unknown.  My well laid plans, my wants, my needs (and my plans for how to get there) all neatly laid out in my heart and my iCal...even if the unknown shows great potential for being better.

Over the last several months, God has really be crafting a change in my heart.  A change that has made me begin to appreciate and maybe even welcome change in my life.  Sometimes change is painful.  It's cutting away relationships, habits, lifestyles that have become something less than God's best for us.  Sometimes change is just plain uncomfortable.  It forces us to look at ourselves and really see those areas that fall miserably short of God's best.  Sometimes change is overwhelming.  A change in jobs, career paths, locations, finances that seems to be to great of a risk.

Whatever the change, God is working in me to help me see the benefit of the change.  If God has placed a vision or a dream in my heart or yours, there's a reason for it.  And a plan for it.  But it's not my plan.  If God has lined out 10 steps (or even just one step) to take to bring me closer to a fulfilled dream, there's a purpose.  And my mind doesn't have to fully understand or grasp it to take the step.

I think that all to often as Christ followers we tell God we want to follow Him.  We tell Him that we want what He has for us.  We tell Him that we want to be a part of His plan.  But we don't move in His direction because we want to do all of those things on our terms.  We want to follow God's plan as long as it doesn't shake up our routine too much.  We want to follow God's plan as long as it doesn't cost us too much.  We want to follow God's plan, but only if He'll lay out the whole road map first.

Or maybe just I do that.

Over the last few months I've allowed God to bring me contentment (because, let's face it, He's had it there for me all along) with just knowing what the next turn on that road map is.  Even if I can't see anything beyond that turn.  He's shown me time and again that simply trusting Him and obeying Him is the greatest source of routine and order that I can have in my life.  Because it's His plan, not mine.  He's shown me that His change, although uncomfortable and somewhat intimidating at times is nothing to be afraid of.  The true place of fear should come from NOT following the path He has for me.  He's shown me that the reward for stepping into change as He directs is so much greater than fear trying to hold me back.  He's reminded me that Jeremiah 29:11 isn't just for encouraging others, but for me as well!