Life has a lot of times when we ponder making a change. It usually stems from some type of dissatisfaction. A high school girl is no longer happy with her boyfriend, the coach is losing too many games, the preacher won’t do what the deacons want him to, etc.
There are other times when we are pulled in two directions. A couple is unhappy in their marriage but stay for the sake of the children. A person becomes dissatisfied at work but is too close to retirement to leave. When we are satisfied, we are usually content to go with what is.
The Serenity prayer says "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." This is a key to knowing when to change and being content with the decision. Ultimately, we look to God for guidance. He gives us hints to go by in discernment of that guidance.
Physically, we have some DNA-driven characteristics that we cannot change – our height and the color of our skin. Michael Jackson was a Black man – even though he tried to Whiten himself, he was still genetically the race he was born. Medical advances have provided for us to change facial features, enlarge boobs, and reduce stomachs. There are diseases that we claim to be inherited that are actually an inheritance of health habit versus DNA, such as diabetes and high blood pressure or high cholesterol. We can change these with better health habits.
Henry Ford gave good advice about changing – “If you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep having what you have.” Sometimes changing does mean doing something different, such as moving to a different job or a different neighborhood. A key question is “How is what I have now working for me? If it is working well, change is not indicated at this time. If it is not working well, start thinking about and praying about how to change.
