2 Peter 3:13 – “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
Shutting Down
For as long as I can remember, I’ve hated change. It’s just not my thing. My roommate, Sarah, loves change. She always looks forward to new adventures and experiences. She likes figuring out the world from a new perspective or outlook. I am not like that.
When I know change is coming, I shut down. During the fall of my Senior year of high school, I would have at least a panic attack a week about where to go to college. I remember one night I was watching Gilmore Girls (a great show, by the way) for a little relief and in the show, Rory (the main character) started getting worked up about where she should go to school. I felt so panick-y that I had to turn off the TV. That image of me turning off the TV is how I often respond to change. I don’t want to think about it, I don’t want to talk about. I just want to shut it off and pretend it’s not real.
I am now a Senior in college and while I’m not graduating (I’ve got one more semester), most of my friends and roommates are and most of them are moving away. I’ll say goodbye to my old friends. I’ll move into a new house with new roommates. I’ll finish up college. Then (hopefully) I’ll move on as well.
Change is coming and there’s nothing I can do about it. The world as I’ve known it for the past four years is about to explode and I might as well face it, because there’s no use in hiding.
Wired for Eternity
Lately, God has reminded me why I hate change so much. I think that my disdain for change and my desire for stability and coherence has a lot to do with Jesus. God tells us in Ecclesiastes that He has set eternity on the hearts of men. We were created for eternity, we were created to live forever with Him in perfect unity. That’s how my soul is wired—it is made for stability, for eternity. I so yearn for stability because Jesus has created me for a stable place.
Jesus has called me to an eternal home, that He has already prepared for me. I hate change so much because I was created for a place that doesn’t change. I was created for Jesus, and He certainly never changes.
Waiting
It’s hard and not fun that I still have to endure change and upheaval while waiting for heaven. But that’s part of the fall, unfortunately. So all I can do is ask that Jesus continues to give me peace through the change. That He would give me strength to endure the waiting. That I would not be afraid or anxious. That I would see change as an opportunity to learn new things about Jesus.
We can have hope because even though our surroundings change, Jesus will never change. He will endure, and we’ll endure with Him. God is constant and we can hold tight to Him knowing that He will stay with us throughout all of our earthly transitions.
Annie Paige is a media intern for Campus Renewal Ministries. She is a Senior at the University of Texas, studying English and Radio-Television-Film. She is also involved with Sigma Phi Lambda, an all-female campus ministry.
