Change Feels Uncomfortable

Change can be easy, but for most often is difficult and uncomfortable. To quote Pastor Michael Watkins, “the brilliance of the butterfly is through the struggle in the cocoon.” Change is hard and for the believer it is a fight (the bible declares it to be a war) against the flesh and the spirit. It goes against the grain of what we want and feel to do. Paul says in Romans 7: 21-25, “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right here with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Remember in this flesh dwells no good thing and we are born into sin and shaped into iniquity. There is a difference between sin and iniquity and in another study I will discuss and share that. This is why change is so uncomfortable for us all. 

Change causes us to become humble with the loss of control leaving us vulnerable and open which is both uncomfortable and risky. Most people shell up, close up, withdraw or even refuse to change when feelings of vulnerability come into play. Becoming vulnerable and going with the flow is what most struggle with as it can be scary. 

God will oftentimes call us out of our scope of familiarity and comfort zone. This is where the flesh fights against the spirit greatly. As God continues to advance me in his word and ministry I have come to realize that I become the most uncomfortable when God is about or ready to download a word. Even before this post and the night before God gave me this to share I struggled in my emotions and mind. Thoughts kept coming that I didn't ask for and emotions kept rising that I didn’t want. It seemed like every commercial, show and movie on TV triggered things I wasn’t looking to be triggered. I had to fight through prayer and worship. It was somewhat of a sleepless night but in the morning as God began to download this word I realized why I struggled so hard through the night. Going back to Pastor Michael Watkins quote, “The brilliance of the butterfly is made through the struggle of the cocoon.” 

There is a struggle for the butterfly is to not only get out of the cocoon but to come out with the brilliance and beauty God intended. This is the same for you and me, which is why James 1:2-4 tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds (remember no butterfly looks the same), because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  

Change brings great things out of us and to us. And most things don’t come until we change. I encourage you to embrace the change God is desiring and doing in you in this season of your life. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that nothing and no one can stay the same we all must change. James 1:5-8 reminds us that if any of you lack wisdom just ask God who generously gives to all without finding fault and when we ask we must believe and not doubt as a double-minded man is unstable in all his/her ways. 

It’s perfectly ok to feel scared and uncertain in seasons of change but we must stand firm in God who never changes. He says I am the Lord I changeth not (Malachi 3:6). We possess the ability to control our emotions and thought through God, His word and the power of the Holy Spirit. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 “there is no temptation that has overtaken except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Remember we stand on God and in God with everything we go through including change. I am reminded of the song by Tamela Mann that says:

Change me, oh God

Make me more like you

Change me, oh God

Wash me through and through

Create in me a clean heart

So that I may worship you

Our prayer is that God changes us into what, who, and how he wants us to be so that with our lives we may worship him. Let us pray…..

God we come before you as humbly as we know how asking and desiring that you Lord please change us anyway you see fit. Father, we just want to please you and we want you to be pleased with us. Give us the strength to process change and go through it your way. Show us what you would have us to do and how you would have to do it. Give us understanding and clarity to your plan for our lives. Not our will but your will oh Lord, be done in our lives. We love you forever. In Jesus name. Amen.