Change is hard! And quite frankly, I’m over it! 

But God has been impressing a couple of things on my heart pretty much every day this week. Things I felt compelled to share today.

First He is BIG! And secondly, that just because He is working in a way that doesn’t make sense and that I wouldn’t have chosen, doesn’t mean He isn’t working.

Personally, I have needed these two reminders from my Savior constantly lately! I need them because, well, life is hard sometimes and there are people around me- people that I love dearly, people both in my family and in my community that are hurting and dealing with some enormous trials.

You know it’s funny that word-“community” has a much different meaning for me today than it did a few months ago. Today as I sit and write this (not what I’m supposed to be working on by the way) I realize that I have a much greater understanding and respect for the community, I chose to do life with. Community is a word that gets thrown around a lot in churches, but until you really invest and connect with people through hurt and hard times. Until you let them all the way in, and allow them to support you, I’m not sure you can fully understand it’s vital importance. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with a fresh new understanding of community, deeper friendships that are more family than community. 

Anyway, back to the original point. God i s BIG! As I mentioned there are some in my community that are walking through deep valleys and facing huge rocks on their journey. And let’s be honest, who among us doesn’t have a rock or two in their own lives right now? I know I do! Here is the thing though-God is bigger than every single one of them. Be it life threatening medical issues, life altering emotional issues (depression, anxiety, etc.), decisions about jobs, schools and church, not to mention financial concerns. Whatever your “it” is, God is bigger.

Sometimes I forget who God is and what He alone is capable of doing. It’s easy to focus on the attributes of God that are more comfortable or familiar. Things like love, mercy and forgiveness, all of which are part of His character. But we (at least me) forget that He is a also a Mighty Warrior (Exodus 15:3, Judges 6:12) and a Fighter (Exodus 14:14, Deuteronomy 1:30). His power and authority are unmatched and unparalleled. Just take a look at Isaiah 40-42 if you need a reminder of how unlike our God is to any other.

The apostle Paul said it best when he said “when we are weak, then He is strong” 2 Corinthians 12:10.  When there are so many things in life that you feel unable to bear, unable to figure out, unable to fix – it’s easy to get down and begin to feel hopeless and helpless. But, that is when God does His best work! I can’t, but Jesus can! As John 16:33 reminds us-“He has overcome the world!”

The second reminder I have needed this past week is that just because “things” are not working out like I want or had hoped, doesn’t mean that God isn’t at work. For example, the church where I work has had a number of staffing changes and challenges these past few months. The last two weeks, those changes have drastically increased, primarily in our weekday preschool, but not limited to that area alone. Several of our veteran teachers have made the difficult choice of either going back to work full time or choosing to keep their own children home as virtual learners this year. I’m not gonna lie, it has been a lot! And there was a day this week when all the changes really had me down. 

But God (there are those two wonderful words again) reminded me that for the past year I have been praying that God would put the right people in the right jobs, not only in our preschool but also in our church at large. Just because God isn’t moving people around in the way I would have-doesn’t mean He isn’t working. Too often, I miss God answering prayers because I’m only looking for my answer.

Then came this realization – I am not God! Right?!

I don’t and can’t know what God knows. He is doing what He needs to do with people and with ministry. Isaiah 55:8 reminds us that we can’t understand the mind of God and just because He isn’t doing things the way I might have, I can’t discount the fact that God is clearly working. Maybe, just maybe – God is moving the old and comfortable out, so He can do new and better things. Just like Isaiah 43:19 reminds us “I’m about to do something new…” None of this is to say I will not miss those I now call friends instead of co-workers, because I most certainly will. But that I am choosing to trust God and ALL of His ways.

The next time you are feeling like it’s all just too much- remember just how BIG our God is and that He is indeed working!