Change in inevitable. It usually happens whether we want it to or not. Some don’t like change. Others welcome it with open arms. We face change on a daily basis. Whether it be getting a new haircut or trying a different meal on the menu instead of getting the usual. It can happen over time like when you get a promotion and have new responsibilities or you get married and start family, everything changes. Change can be drastic and abrupt like being diagnosed with cancer, or losing a loved one in an accident.
Friends change.
Our surroundings change.
Our culture changes.
We even change.
But there is one who is constant.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever more.
The reason I’m talking about change is because I’ve recently had to face change about the World Race. My route has completely changed. Originally I was going to China, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania. I had my heart set on going to these places that I prayed for have deeply rooted into my heart. Then recently one of squad mates informed us that our route changed. It wasn’t just a country or two; it was seven of the eleven countries that changed. My new route consists of Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, India, Nepal, Mongolia, and China.
When I read the new route I became overcome with a mixture of emotions. I was heartbroken about the countries I was so excited to visit places like the Philippines, Cambodia, and Thailand. Also we were going to be the only squad to go to Ethiopia which made my heart break for them to know that no one will be venturing there this year. I knew that there was the possibility that my route may be switched up but I didn’t expect for more than half my route to change. After I had my little tantrum in my mind, I instantly turned more mourning to praise because God is in control. He still chose me to go to 11 countries to spread the Love of Jesus Christ so how can I complain? Most people are lucky to travel to five different countries in their lifetime if that and I’m about to go to 11 countries in less than a year. Then I also realized I’m not alone in these feelings. All my other squad mates must be feeling one way or another. I tune into the group chat we have and everyone is chiming in about their feelings. Some disappointed, others perplexed, and a few content. Then we all came to a realization that God is going to use this group no matter where we go. So message after message we encouraged one another. Knowing God has greater in store for us. He just wants to see if our yes to this experience in genuine. Are we doing this for His intentions or our own? Are we willing to venture to other places outside our heart to find God in an unfathomable way?
I felt we needed to look deep down in ourselves and ask are we still willing to commit because God had something else in store? My answer is still yes. I looked at the other routes and there was another one that seemed more appealing but it’s not what God wanted for me. I got accepted into July Route 2 not any other one. So I said out loud: “It is well in my soul.” Instantly the feeling I had were lifted away and I fell into a place of acceptance. I have a new route, with new countries, and new members to join. But I still have the same God that I’m pursuing through it all. This same God will be with me, and will challenge me, and will comfort me, and will lift me when I need Him. Through it all, it is well in my soul. I notice all my squad mates went through the same motions as we remembered that we’re all in this together. We accepted the call. And in God’s word it says the call is irrevocable. So we continued to be excited about the new countries and new squad mates that joined. We chose to be thankful that God would take us any country to meet Him in places foreign to our hearts.
God also has a sense of humor because lone behold our route was restored to our original route and change was welcomed once again. It was just a website update that caused the change. Everything was back normal. All of this happened in the span of 12 hours. And in that time I learned more about myself than fasting for an entire month. It’s insane how this race is teaching me so much and I’m not even on it yet. Who’s to say that it won’t change again? It probably will. When you recognize change as your friend and not your enemy then you get the most out of it. There’s that awkward feeling that you have as soon as you have your haircut of whether you like it or not. As soon as you get your first compliment you then feel confident about it. And not all sushi is terrible you just have to try different ones till you find the one you like. And thought the route changed for a moment I learned that my heart will remain the same and I will still do this same route, with the same squad, and the same God.
“There were people who went to sleep last night, poor and rich and white and black, but they will never wake again. And those dead folks would give anything at all for just five minutes of this weather or ten minutes of plowing. So you watch yourself about complaining. What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.”
Stay blessed not stressed.
