At The Corner of Fear and Change

Jan 8, 2015, Written by Sue Miley

tinyboxnewWhich is worse, the pain of remaining in a unrewarding, difficult status quo or suffering the fear of change? The fear of not knowing if the change will meet or exceed the status quo?

There is something hardwired in much of humanity to embrace the evil we know.  To remain in an uncomfortable, tiny box of reality.  We know the four corners of this box, and if we are still enough, if we don’t rock the boat, we can maintain our pain and suffering to a manageable level.

Change, the unknown, could lead to a magical wonderful city on a hill, or could shrink our box even more, making it unbearable.  The space in between magic and the shrinking box is our fear.  When we stand at the crossroad, making the decision to take the new path or stay on our current path, the FEAR of making the wrong decision pushes us by default to the current path, our tiny, uncomfortable box of reality.

Change Comes With Following Christ

When Jesus came, He declared “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He asked several, who would become his twelve, to follow Him.  To follow Him.  To leave their reality,  and follow Him without a map, without a destination, and really as far as they knew, without a plan.  He didn’t share with them the plan before they embarked.

Yet each of these men left what they knew, who they knew, and where they were going to embrace the change that came with following Jesus Christ.

No guarantee.  Unless you believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

The disciples followed without a plan and they embarked on the journey of change.  Constant, consistent change.  The path was far from easy.  Later, Paul wrote of the gift that was suffering for Christ’s sake.  Jesus’ plan may, probably will, have it’s own suffering, but you are suffering for the Savior of the World on an unknown path to eternity with our Father in Heaven.

Today, we stand at our own crossroads more often than we care to think about.

Who Is Leading You

Jesus knew the path He was choosing led to the cross, yet He chose it over the status quo.  The path to the Cross led to freeing the people He loved.  Freeing you and I from our sin and reconciling us to God the Father.

[Tweet “I believe that moving forward into eternity with God by definition requires change.”]

Movement creates change.

Does the idea of change keep you trapped in the status quo?  Does the unknown outcome make the current reality seem more attractive, even if the current reality has you STUCK?

Is the fear of the unknown so painful that you choose the current discomfort….over and over and over again?

Where Does the Path of Change Lead

It is hard to embrace change, but even 2000 years later, we still have Jesus leading us.  Through His Holy Spirit, Jesus says follow me.

I do not know the crossroad that you are facing, nor the reality box you are sitting in.  I do know that change is not the pain.  It is our fear of change.  We, and probably Satan, are the author of that fear.

Personally, when given a choice, I will choose to follow Christ into the unknown of change, with the possibility of hardship ahead, than to listen to Satan’s lies that the status quo, the tiny, uncomfortable box, is the safer choice.

Why?  Because God is on this path.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Steve Barlow says

    Thanks Sue. Reminds me of God’s call to Abram. It is said that fear is the opposite of faith – I think that’s true.

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Sue Miley

Sue Miley MBA, MA, LPC helps small business owners build successful businesses on a foundation of Christian values. After 20 years in business, and 10 years as a Christian counselor, Sue uses a combination of faith, business and psychology to help clients in business and in life.

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