When Pastor Matt talked about New Year's resolutions on Sunday and told us that only 20% of people make it until February and only 8% make it the entire year, I could definitely relate. I thought about all of the resolutions that I have made in the past that didn't make it, and about how I didn't make a resolution at all this year just for that reason. I also thought about how most of the time when I got into trouble as a kid, it was a reaction to some kind of change going on in my life either at home or at school, and I think about the kids that I watch at school now, and it seems to be the same thing for some of them too. We just don't do well with change, not as children and definitely not as adults. I don't know about you, but the older I get the more set in my ways I am. Change is scary, change is taking a chance on something when we don't know the outcome, and change can feel really overwhelming at times.
So why is that? Well, in Pastor Matt's words, it is because we fear loss and we sometimes begin to lose trust and start to doubt that the change is good. We think to ourselves, "Do I really need to do this?" We even question change when we are the ones that wanted to do it in the first place.
So, with that being said family, I would just like to remind you to think about the question that Pastor Matt asked us toward the end of the service on Sunday, and that was, "What is God calling you to trust Him with, and how will you respond?" Are you willing to change and try something new? Are you willing to trust God and follow Him even when you feel afraid or unsure?
When Moses was leading the Israelites through the wilderness and they were learning to trust God, the Lord said to him, "My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14) Rest means to be at peace, to be still, or to be calm, so when you are feeling unsure or anxious about a change in your life, I encourage you to remember that God is with you just like He was with the Israelites. I also encourage you to dwell in His presence, surrender to Him, and remember that God promised the people of Israel a life of peace in the Promised Land, but this restful, peaceful living depended on the Israelites remaining faithful and obedient to Him alone, and your rest depends on this too.