Change is Killing Me

Wow, our new government administration is throwing a lot of new legislation at us that could change life as we have know it FOREVER. Am I ready for all of this? What should I do about the things that I disagree with? What if I am not ready for all of the changes? These are questions we need to be asking ourselves.

Change, as a dynamic to life, is something we all count on happening, but we often allow ourselves to become complacent. “The change will be gradual enough that I will have time to adjust,” is the line we sell ourselves. “I’ll wait and see how it affects me and then I will do something about it.” “All this change won’t be that drastic” is what we console ourselves with. But it could be drastic and life could look totally different than any of us ever expected. So, how do we handle it.

There are 4 distinct ways in which we might choose to deal with a major upheaval in our lives:

1. Deny It.

“I wasn’t ready for it!” We don’t want to believe it could happen to us, or can’t admit it was coming. Or maybe even worse, we say to ourselves, “This won’t last long, it will all return to the way it was before.” Regardless of how we get hit with the news, shock and denial are often the first reactions that we experience when confronted with a major disruption to our routine lives.

If we deny that change is here, the very changes that we detest and resist, we will be left behind and unprepared for the future.

2. Fear It.

This could be you. You’ve just been told that you are being laid off because of budget cutbacks (Every week I get calls from pastor friends that have staff positions that are being cut). Or, that the house you need to sell before you lose it is only worth 65% of what you paid for it three years ago. That the new government bailout plan with the addition of a national health care program will raise your taxes 35%!!! What to do?

Don’t fear…respond! Sit down with everyone affected by the sudden changes and think it through. Make the tough decisions and come up with a plan. Anything you can do, do it. Anything that is out of your control commit to the Lord and be ready to accept the outcome. But, don’t fear it.

Just like you would turn on the lights in a dark room, it is important to apply wisdom in situations where fear runs rampant. By doing so, you will quickly learn the facts and be able to deal with the matter. It is amazing how facing the truth about your situation will help motivate you to come up with solutions.

3. Fight It.

As we learn in school, the fight or flight instincts in us come out when confronted with matters of survival. A common aspect of dealing with change is to attempt to fight back the coming tide. This can often be viewed as noble, and there are most certainly times where continuing the fight is exactly what needs to occur. Never just lie down and let it overtake you like a tsunami, rather learn how to make positive use of the tides that come in.

If you are rational about where you make your stands, and keep focused upon your long term goals, fighting can be exactly what you need to do. However, don’t get caught up in the backwash of fantasy when reality demands that you move on.

4. Embrace It.

Change will come, it is inevitable, and whether we like it or not we will sooner or later have to embrace it in order to move on. Embracing it does not mean that we like it, it just means that it is reality. Generally speaking, this is the final aspect of change management – acceptance of the facts as they stand. By embracing change you agree to view the world as it stands, and not howyou choose to see it. This allows you to make decisions clearly and concisely.

5. Final thoughts.

What I see coming down the pike is a little scary. Things like a government run national healthcare system, double digit inflation, extreme unemployment, churches losing status with tax exemption issues and many other disturbing changes have gotten my attention. So, what will I do? I will prepare myself spiritually, financially and emotionally for it. God has brought me though some of the most difficult events and changes that you can imagine and He will do it again.

When changes come that I don’t like, I will also respond pro-actively. As I resist what I disagree with I must also make the appropriate adjustments in my personal life that these changes affect. Next, I will become a change agent.  I will support the proponents of the ideals that I embrace in our nation that will re-establish what I believe would be better for me and my family in hopes that new changes will counter the bad changes that take place. After all, this is America and I am an voting American.

This could take a while…..I’m ready for the journey.