Change hurts. I know, it’s not a new thought or creative concept but it is true, to a certain degree. I am of the belief that we should be constantly growing, constantly maturing, constantly changing, so does that mean we should be constantly hurting? No, I don’t think so. The pain of change is all relative depending upon our perspective and motivation. Change required by another is often painful. Change brought about suddenly, without notice or expectation generally leaves us hurting. What about change that comes with a promise? What about change that produces results, change that is costly in the moment but worthwhile in the outcome?
Joshua’s entire life changed in a moment. Moses had led Israel from before they left Egypt; he was the only leader they knew. Moses had led them through an open sea, into victorious battles; when they were hungry he prayed and bread came from heaven; when they were thirsty he prayed and water came from rocks; when he was openly opposed the ground had opened and swallowed his opponents. On at least two occasions God had become so frustrated with Israel that He was ready to destroy them but Moses prayed that God would change His mind and He did. The book of Joshua opens with very concise words from God, “Moses My servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.” For Joshua everything changed in an instant. He had been an assistant for at least forty years. Yes, he had been told he would lead Israel after Moses died, but that is one of those things that you know in your head but never really prepare your heart for. Sure, Joshua would lead Israel, but so much had to happen first, there would be time for him to get ready.
Have you ever decided that you have time to get ready for the change that God has promised in your life? I know I have. Just today I found a journal that I wrote in 2006, as I read I laughed and shook my head, not sure if it was funny or sad that the things I wrote then were things that I am still preparing for now. My next question was a tough one to answer, have I been preparing or just waiting? What is the difference? Preparing keeps an eye on the promise, on the purpose; preparing does the work necessary to be in position to move when the time comes; waiting, well, much too often waiting just waits.
In Matthew 25 Jesus taught the parable of the ten virgins. The ten virgins went out to meet their bridegroom; five of them took their lamps and extra oil while the other five took only their lamps. The bridegroom tarried to the point that they all fell asleep but around midnight he finally arrived. When he does the five with the extra oil refilled their lamps and went to meet him while the five with only their lamps had to go to find oil to refill them. By the time they went and bought more oil and refilled their lamps the wedding banquet had already begun and they were locked out. There are many spiritual lessons and interpretations for this passage, but my thought for today is that waiting for change and preparing for change are two totally different things. One set of virgins went out as they were to wait for the bridegroom while the other set prepared themselves to wait and be found ready when he arrived. Many times in life I believe we pray for, ask for and even crave some sort of change from God but we do very little to actually prepare for it. The sad part is that when the opportunity for change comes we often miss it; we overlook it and sometimes even reject it, not because God was not faithful but because we were not found ready.
One of the most beautiful things about living our lives for God is that if we truly seek Him, not only do we find Him, but He then leads us in a way that we are never left unprepared. I am not contradicting the previous parable, but hoping to shine a light on something that may be lacking in us today. When God made the announcement to Joshua that he was now the leader of the nation of Israel He then kindly prepared him for the job. Three times God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.” I am sure that Joshua would have loved a rod like Aaron’s or tablets of stone like Moses had carried, even a wounded hip like Jacob walked with or a dream like Joseph’s but what God chose to give Him was strength and courage. You see, anything that God tells you to be or carry He also provides through His Word and His presence. When He tells Joshua to be strong and courageous it was not for him to find it elsewhere but to depend upon God for it. When Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled”, it was not for them to figure out how to accomplish this, He then told them, “trust also in Me.” Our preparation is not found outside of God but in His presence. We are not out doing our best so we can show God how prepared we are, but rather we are called to let Him prepare us so that we can walk with Him and when change comes we see it as another step of righteousness rather than an obstacle or crooked path.
The third time God said these words to Joshua He sandwiched them around two wonderful promises: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” In essence God was telling Joshua, “I am the One that has sent you, so you can be strong and courageous, because I will be with you everywhere I ever send you.” While the change was sudden, it was not difficult for Joshua because he had spent 40 years following Moses as Moses followed God through the cloud by day and fire by night. Following had become part of his nature, leading would come naturally because he had followed for most of his life, he was fully prepared. This promise was not only for the moment that Joshua took over leadership, but for all of his appointed time as leader. There would be times when he was tempted to be not only afraid but terrified; there would be times when he would be tempted to be discouraged and to believe that he would never fully accomplish his task; but he was to always remember, God had called him and God was always with him and God would provide strength and courage.
How has God prepared you for the change that is coming in your life? Has He spoken words of wisdom, promises of His presence or the truth of your future? Has He put you in a place or position to follow Him so that He can prepare you for what lies ahead? Has He given you examples of followers and leaders so that you can be prepared to lead when the change comes? I have come to believe that that only way to learn to lead is to first learn to follow. In the context of this note today, the only way to be truly prepared for change is to follow God closely. Today let God lead you into your change, it does not have to hurt, in fact, His change for your life may bring you the greatest healing you have ever imagined.