Signs of Life

Change is a sign of life. I find it beautiful that the very thing that scares many of us, God made the most innocent, precious, and beautiful thing. The leaves changing colors. Caterpillars transforming to butterflies. And if you think about it, if leaves never changed colors, it'd mean they were dead (unless they were evergreens). But that change is how they adapt to the changes going on around them. It's how they stay alive. It shows they are healthy. If a caterpillar never turned into a butterfly, it'd die before reaching all it was created to be. How often do we choose this kind of death, because we're afraid of change? And by doing so, we miss out on all God has for us on the other side. In deciding to resist change, we not only resist growth, we resist life. It's the changes in life that make us who we are. Without change, we would be only a shell of ourselves. We'd never grow. Never develop. Never live to our fullest potential. God doesn't want us to stay the same as when He found us. He wants us to change, especially because we now have Christ in us, which should change how we live. We should have a desire to continuously grow and do better. For me, when change is introduced, I instinctively tense and mentally reject the idea. But, I've learned that sometimes, that introduction of change can be a nudge. A nudge from the Lord trying to gently shepherd me on the path He's already paved. Often times, we are like those adventurous hikers who like to explore, even when there's a clear cut path. There's always those people who wonder if we could go this way or that way instead for a short cut or an adventure. When we try to do that with the Lord, all we fall prey to is our desire for control and belief that we know best. And it leads to dangerous, unprotected territories. He is a GOOD SHEPHERD. And while changes in our lives can feel uncomfortable and anything but good, His goodness still remains. A good shepherd doesn't let His sheep wander. He knows the path, He keeps them on it. And if changes are necessary because of weather or obstacles are in the way, the shepherd continues to lead. A shepherd led by his own sheep is bound to die, but sheep led by their good shepherd are bound to succeed and remain safe and secure. Changes will come. They are a necessary part of life. But when they do, trust your Shepherd. Know His voice. And heed to His instruction. It is tried and true. And be prepared to be amazed by the beauty of the process and outcome of any change the Lord ordains. Just like the leaves in autumn and the caterpillars transforming. There's beauty in change. Just continue to listen for His voice.