Change is Stressful (Matthew 11:28-30)
Dear Members of the Our Savior Lutheran Church Email Prayer Chain,

Change is Stressful

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

"Change is stressful."

I remember coming to Louisville as principal of Martin Luther School with a mandate from the Indiana District Education Executive to find a way for Lutheran Education to grow and flourish. While that phrase “change is stressful” was a part of my knowledge bank and experience, I really came to know the extent to which it was true as I faithfully tried to seek the Lord’s will in carrying out the mandate I had been give. The end result is the day school ministry we now have at Our Savior.

It was ultimately change for the better, but it was stressful. Figuratively speaking, "dust" that had settled was then being disrupted and wafting about the air causing much discomfort as we sneezed and hacked and scratched at our irritated eyes. Why was change necessary? Why do I have to work with this person now? God, I was very comfortable and doing so great with the way things were before you brought me to Louisville. So why are you disrupting my life now?

It didn't take me long to get over this change, however. Really, it was more annoying than anything else - unlike other changes in our lives that we would probably all agree are automatically "good" things: a new job, getting married, having a baby, etc. Yet, even these types of changes can bring about stress as well as our worlds take on new landscapes.

At the other end of the spectrum, other life changes can be extremely painful for us. Death, moving far away, loss of employment, divorce, disease. Lord, how can this possibly be good? It hurts so much. Why would you purpose this for me? What did I do wrong?

In hindsight, I can see how God has caused all types of changes in my life to effect growth and open doors to new opportunities. Sometimes the changes pained me beyond measure (the recent death of my wife) and other times they just kept me awake at night (the developing youth ministry, growth of our school, my involvement with Resurrection Lutheran Church – all opportunities for more ministry) with nervous excitement. But through it all, there is beauty that results and the Lord helps me to give him the glory and the strength to make it through all circumstances (Phil. 4.11-3).

Wherever you are today or whenever you are reading this, I'm ninety-nine percent sure that you are going through some sort of change in your life right now. I am, too.  

You may be very cognizant of it. It may have you feeling over the moon. Or it may hurt like the dickens. Or the change may be so slow-going and so subtle, that you may not even know you are undergoing it. But whatever it may be, what is most important is how you and I respond to what God is doing in our lives.  

Resolve to take Jesus' yoke upon yourself. Give the change you're undergoing to him. As we seek him, learn from him and how we can follow him in our daily living, he will be with us. He may not give us the answers we're looking for or resolve our situations right away. But rest assured, he will surely undergird us and give us strength and joy as we go through whatever change he has ordained in our lives.

REFLECTION

Weary. Burdened. Is that how you feel today? What is weighing you down? Did you bring it upon yourself? Or does it feel unjustly deserved? And are you trying to carry it all alone? You would probably give anything just to find some rest. Take 10 minutes today to find a quiet place where you can sit alone (home, the office, your car, a nearby park, wherever ...) and ask God to help you trade in your heavy load for his light burden and find rest for your soul.

PRAYER REQUESTS -- Week of February 28, 2010  

FOR THOSE WHO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR HEALING

David Robertson             In a Florida hospital in a diabetic coma

FOR THOSE WHO MOURN

For the family of Eldon Tappendorf, father of Dave Tappendorf who was called home this past Sunday, the funeral was on Wednesday.
For the family of Mim Hawkinson, long time member of the church who was called home on Tuesday, who’s funeral was yesterday. 

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. --Hebrews 13:20-21 

In Christ,
Paul Nickel
Director of Christian Education
Our Savior Lutheran Church
 

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