How to survive (or even thrive) in a time of change
By: Andrew Aeschlimann
Tags: Stability, Jesus, Change, Christianity, Rock

I grew up 20 minutes from the beach in one of the coldest parts of Australia. What we discovered is that the water temperature doesn’t change much during the year, so if you swim in winter, the water seems warm. We would don full body wetsuits and brave the weather to go snorkeling. Under the surface of the waves was a whole new world, almost unaffected by whatever is going on in the rest of the world.

The challenge came when trying to get out of the water again. Ten metres out and the waves just roll by, but closer to the shore there is a tempest as the full force of the water breaks over sharp rocks. There is no elegant way to transition from horizontal swimming to vertical walking at this point of chaos and change. The best method we found was to ride a wave in, then hold onto a rock while the waves subsided.

The key to surviving change is a relatively easy idea, although it can be harder to actually do.

Hold on to something unchanging.

Thats it. My Dad would probably say, “now you can log off and go do something more interesting.”

When everything around you seems to be changing, moving and unstable, find the things in your life that you know are stable, strong and unshakable and focus your attention and time on them.

In my case, that is a person.

Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 TPT

This verse was written on the front wall of the church I grew up in. During long or boring sermons, it provided a point of contemplation to stay awake. The church changes (becoming the Pure Bride we were called to become). Theology changes as our understanding of who God is expands, of what love looks like in real life. Culture changes as we discover new ways of expressing the creativity God built in to each one of us. Jesus never changes. His power does not diminish, his love cannot recede and his aim is still the reconciliation of our relationship to him.

This so far will help you survive.

To thrive: use your time that is spent close to the rock to build from the rock.

The Wise Man didn’t just hold onto the rock, he built his house there.

“Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. When the rains fell and the flood came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation. “But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away.”

Matthew 7:24‭-‬27 TPT

You CAN build a place of refuge during a storm, the challenge will be to maintain it between storms when all seems good.

Invest into intimacy. Time + a heart turned towards God will naturally build new things in your life that come from Him. Strong things that can't be broken and an increased place of safety, a mass of unmovability, strong refuge, an unchangeable place in your life.

aa.

Picture: Gregory Varnum