First Baptist Church of Herndon

Facing Unwanted Change

Linda Soller | Apr 07, 2014

We have been talking about self help lately and it’s all well and good when you pick something about yourself or your lifestyle that you want to change. You can plan and select your approach, and you can decide when you want to start the change process. But what happens when change picks you? What happens when you lose a job because of something you can’t control, like a company moving to a new state or going out of business? What do you do when life throws you a curve and the bills pile up? How do you respond when you lose a friend, suddenly and un-expectantly? When you find yourself in the path of change you don’t always have time to plan. When you deal with unexpected change you go through a grieving process. You grieve for what was, what might have been, and for what can never be.

As you may know our Drop-In Class is a mix of those who attend regularly, those who truly drop in now and then, and those who are just visiting our church. The combination keeps things interesting and allows us to have a constant flow of new ideas and lively conversation. It’s a joy to be part of such a dynamic environment. Recently we had a member of our Drop-In Class pass away. He not only came regularly, he would also graciously fill in and lead the class when I asked him to.  A person is perceived differently by those who know them in different circumstances. So no matter how others saw him, to our class he was always ready with a smile, always helping, always seeking answers and contributing, and always there.

To have someone taken suddenly and without warning is never easy, but there are things that we can do to help ourselves get through the difficult time. Our friend would tell us to go to our reliable self help book, the Bible, and find that verse that gives the support we need. I did just that and went to one of my favorite verses – Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (NRSV). He would tell us to pray and ask for strength and understanding. He would tell us to support each other and to appreciate that we all grieve differently. He would remind us that we’re blessed to have all of these things available to us to help us deal with this unwanted change. None of us are perfect, including our friend, and sometimes we forget to rely on all the mechanisms God has put in place for us to help us through difficult changes.

The Disciples didn’t really understand when Jesus tried to prepare them for his own death. They couldn’t imagine their lives without him. He was too young to die. There was so much of life ahead of him and so much left for him to do. He was a gentle soul and deserved better. Ever hear similar remarks of people you have known? When Jesus was suddenly arrested, some Disciples ran and hid, others watched from a distance, and another denied knowing him at all. Different people deal with sudden unwanted change differently, and the Disciples reacted in accordance with their own individual personalities. I don’t think we can anticipate how we’ll respond to unwanted change, but I do think we can prepare for such situations by truly owning our faith and internalizing all it brings to us that gives us strength when times are tough. 

In memory of our friend and classmate

Lee “Scott” Beaty

 1960 - 2014

God is with you always!  :o)    Linda