The year 2020 has been a whirlwind of changes in our world! For instance, the Coronavirus pandemic has taken many lives and altered the way we live (face masks) and interact with others (social distancing). In the United States, there are opportunities for those whose hearts harbor any racism or discrimination to be transformed by God, for through George Floyd’s murder many (believers and nonbelievers) were jolted awake to the truth: racism and discrimination never died it just looks different—I will share more on this in a future post. There are other worldwide and nationwide changes, and no doubt in your own life, there have been personal changes too. CHANGE CAN BE TROUBLING. Yet, every change I walk through in previous years and in 2020 specifically, God reminds me not to be afraid or troubled.
The last five months I have been walking through several external changes around me. My brother (who is also my best friend) moved away, another best friend got married, and a dear friend moved away this summer. Because I naturally gravitate towards consistency, each change was hard in different ways emotionally. My instinct when CHANGE SHATTERS WHAT IS FAMILIAR in a relationship dynamic is to be troubled by the thought that what follows will be a slow end of the relationship or a quick end—there have been experiences in the past where I wanted to rebuild and maintain the relationship, but the other person did not. My present relationships with the people closest to me who moved on to their next chapters are not what they were, communications changed, which is natural.
But how I handle relationship changes continues to get better because God reminds me with each instance what is constant. This year, He reminded me of what is constant through John 14. The context prior to John 14 is in John 12, Jesus predicted His death, in John 13 Jesus showed His love for His disciples by serving them and washing their feet, He predicted one of the 12 would betray Him; then, Judas Iscariot went to go betray Jesus. Next in John 13, Jesus told the remaining disciples again He is leaving; He predicted Peter would deny Him, and Jesus gave the remaining disciples a new command to “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34b).
This brings us to John 14:1, which says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” The disciples knew in advance that Jesus was going to leave them, so why was this so troubling for them? These eleven men spent three years with Jesus following Him wherever He led them; they learned from Him and they had a tight bond with Him. Now that the hour had come, they were faced with the reality of their lives with Jesus were about to change forever. For you, the constant in your life might have been a person, a job, a home, a community, the life you had prior to this pandemic, or a desire you waited years for, etc. Whenever what was constant for a time is gone, there is a sense of loss and it can be troubling. In the middle of the loss, we can choose to turn to Jesus, share what troubles you with Him, and lay those troubles at His feet.
If we pour our heart out to Jesus, He opens our eyes to how the loss could result in a gain. What gain could there be? Let us return to John 14 and see what the gain for the original disciples was. Jesus said,
15If you love me, keep my commands. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.’
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, ‘But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’
23Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25‘All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:15-27).
For the original disciples, even though they were losing Jesus physically, they were gaining the Holy Spirit who would be with them forever. If you are a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells within you too. Therefore, when you experience changes that trouble you in your life, remember in the Holy Spirit, you have an advocate who provides comfort when you are hurting. In the Holy Spirit, you can have access to transcending peace, as our world is increasingly chaotic. And in the HOLY SPIRIT, you have THE ONE WHO NEVER CHANGES in a lifetime on earth that is always changing.
All Bible verses are from Holy Bible: New International Version
So good my friend. So many changes personally and just in life in general can be so overwhelming. And what a giant change for the disciples, to walk for three years side by side, day and night with Jesus and then not have that anymore. I can’t imagine the reality. But, He sent the Holy Spirit! And you are so right! He is the constant in the middle of an ever changing world. I’m going to hold on to this as I begin my new job in a couple weeks.
I appreciate you commenting, Sam! So true it is hard to imagine the reality the disciples were facing leading up to Jesus’ arrest. Congratulations on your new job! Excited for you friend! =)