Grow and Change

READ: PSALM 139; ROMANS 8:28-29, 38-39; PHILIPPIANS 1:6 At times, growing up is hard. Change is exciting, but at the same time such a difficult thing to go through. Feeling your body change. Seeing things around you shift. Knowing that your mind is growing and your perspective on things will not always be the same. Change feels strange, but as we experience it in ourselves and in the world around us, we don’t have to be afraid. There are some things that are never going to change. When life feels different than it used to, we may feel unsteady and disoriented, but it can help to remember that God will not change. His love is always constant. The promise of eternity will never fade. The gospel is always true. Jesus died and rose again for us, and if we’ve put our trust in Him, we can know with certainty that He is with us—forever. He will never leave us. Throughout our lives, we will continue to grow and change. We will find new things to be passionate about and new ways to enjoy life. We will find new purposes for our lives, and we’ll get excited about what is to come. As we go through all those changes, both the good and the bad, the struggle and the joy, we can remember that God is there with us. When we need something to ground us, we can pray to Him. When we need something to remind us that, even as we are drastically changing, some things in our lives will always be the same, we can think of His unchanging love. • Bethany Acker • As we grow in our walk with Jesus, He will continue to reveal Himself to us in various ways, and He will keep forming us to become more and more like Him. This means our perspectives on different things will likely shift throughout our lifetimes. And that’s okay! As we pursue Jesus and study His Word, He will help us bring all the areas of our lives into alignment with Him. And this is a lifelong process. Who are some people in your life who can walk through this process with you—such as parents, pastors, counselors, youth leaders, and friends? Consider taking some time to ask a trusted Christian adult how their perspective has changed over the years. • When the world around us changes, how could remembering that Jesus never changes help us come to Him in prayer? Do you have any favorite Bible passages that remind you of this truth? Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (CSB)