Hello! Welcome to Episode 8 of the Faith Chase Podcast. I’m Heather Tabata, and this podcast is about making faith real in everyday life. If you’ve been tuning in, this episode will be a little different. Now, we’re still going to follow the Bible reading schedule, but those episodes will be every other week. We’ll talk about other faith topics on the other weeks. This week we’ll be talking about facing changes. (If you landed here on the blog and want to hear the post instead of reading the transcript, click here.)
School, jobs, family, they all change. I’ve never been especially good with change, even when it was one I was excited about. We have so many possibilities in life, and that’s wonderful. It’s also terrifying. In a way, choices I get to make are the most scary for me, because if it ends badly, then I’ve got myself to blame. Can you relate?
We don’t have to fear change. Think back to a time you felt safe. Maybe it was in a specific place or with a specific person. I always felt safe with my parents when I was little, and when they wrapped me up in a hug, I believed nothing could hurt me. I trusted them completely. What I didn’t understand back then was even though they were trustworthy, no person can control life. They could protect me to a point, but they couldn’t shield me from everything.
Now, I look to God kind of like I did to my parents.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. – Psalms 18:2
We can trust God. He’s a Father to His children, and just the way my parents made me feel safe, God can do that for us. Even when David faced bad times, and he had some horrible ones, he knew he could count on God.
But why? How do we know we can trust Him? After all, God doesn’t promise us a trouble free life. Actually, He tells us the opposite.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. – John 16:33
So if God tells us to expect that life is unpredictable, and bad things are going to happen, why should we depend on Him?
Because He doesn’t ask us to trust Him based on how our life is going.
He wants us to trust who He is.
So what does He say about Himself?
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. – James 1:17
He promises that He sends good things, and that He doesn’t change. People can, and do, change. You and I change. But God doesn’t. The God Moses knew is the same as the one we know now, and He’ll be the same in ten years.
I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass? … But I am the LORD your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared— The LORD of hosts is His name. – Isaiah 51:12, 15
God promises that He will be with us. If that’s true, and He’s the same God with the power to part the sea, then we don’t need to be afraid of what people can do.
“Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD. – Jeremiah 23:23-24
There’s no place change can send us that is away from God. The idea of living 30 minutes away from home for college was terrifying. But God was there. Moving an hour and a half from home for graduate school had me terrified. But God was there.
If we go across a county, state, or the world God is there waiting for us.
But how can we be sure God is good and will watch over us? He gave us the ultimate reassurance in Jesus.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. – John 10:11
The job of a shepherd is to make sure the sheep are ok. When the seasons change the shepherd moves the sheep between home and the fields. When there’s danger the shepherd protects the sheep. And Jesus gave His life for us so we can be accepted by God. If He loves us like that, we can trust God to cover our past, guide our present, and plan our future.
When we’re worried about something, God wants to hear from us.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7
Whatever is on our minds, let’s take it to God. There’s peace He can give us that we can’t find anywhere else. I’ve felt it a couple times, and it’s hard to explain. It didn’t take me out of the terrible circumstances I was in, but God did help me to get through them. He knows what we need, when we need it, and He will take care of us.
I think that a lot of times, when I’m scared about change, I’m out of focus. I’m looking too much at what is happening right now, and what might happen soon, and not enough at what I know is coming later.
While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. – II Corinthians 4:18
All of this is temporary. The houses we’ve built or bought. School buildings. Church buildings. Saturday morning pancake traditions. All of this is finite.
But we can be sure eternity is coming. That should be comforting to us. We don’t have to look at it with dread. We can get excited about it like the vacation we’ve been looking forward to forever. It’s a good thing.
With our minds set on Heaven, life changes are more manageable. Not that some aren’t scary or take a lot of effort to deal with. Not that we won’t be afraid or make mistakes. But let’s keep the speed bumps from growing into mountains.
That’s it for this episode! Thanks for joining in. Head over to the Instagram, Facebook, or chime in here on the website and let me know your thoughts on the reading from this episode. What stood out to you? What questions do you have? If you want to stay up to date on events and get a little regular pick-me-up, you can sign up for my newsletter by clicking right here. If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so the next episode can come straight to you, and tell a friend about it. See you next week!
Heather Tabata 