Embracing Your Season of Change: The Process of Change

Now that we have learned about the purpose of change, I would like to examine the process of change. Process is defined as the course of action or proceeding, especially as a series of stages.

The first component in change is processing its overwhelming nature. When God calls us to his work, inevitably we have to make major adjustments in our lives in order to answer his call. It is the process of making these adjustments that can be overwhelming.

Quite often, I hear people say God will never give you more than you can handle. I know the saying sounds good, but practically I have found it to be false when it comes to answering the call of God. Don’t get me wrong, I know Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light, and I have found that to be true as I have submitted to his will and labored in his work. However, the yoke and burden is something we can never carry by ourselves. That is why we have to come to Jesus to find our strength and our rest. Reflecting back on my life in times of significant change, God has always given me more than I can handle.

This season of change has been no different. Currently, I am adjusting to having a new baby, my third boy under the age of six. That is enough to keep me busy for awhile. On top of that, in August, I accepted the position of Vice President of Champions for Christ to oversee the college athletic ministry of Every Nation, and bring the national office and its staff to Tallahassee. Two months ago we started a church renovation project. And I spent last year going through a staff transition. In the midst of everything else going on, I am spending extra time helping my new staff members get acclimated to their roles and responsibilities. Also, I am doing a four week series on the topic of change. This requires about 10-15 hours of preparation of week.

You get my point? God has always given me more than I can handle. Why? When I find myself in these situations, it causes me to call out to God and seek him more diligently. I realize in these moments that I can not do it all in my strength. I must be supernaturally empowered by the Spirit of God.

Moses is a Biblical example of a man who felt the overwhelming nature of the call of God on his life. Let me prove it to you. In Acts 7:22 Luke says this about Moses, “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.” Now let’s look in Exodus how this educated powerful man in speech and action responded to the call of God.

God gets Moses attention through the angel of the Lord appearing to him through flames of fire within a bush. God reveals to Moses that he is his chosen instrument to deliver the Israelites out of their slavery and suffering in Egypt. Not only does God promise to be with Moses on his journey, but he gives him some miraculous signs of proof. Some of these signs include turning a staff into a snake, and making Moses’ hand leprous and then healing it.

So how does Moses respond after seeing the burning bush and God’s miraculous signs? Exodus 4:10 says, “Moses said to the Lord, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord says to Moses, “Go, I will help you speak and teach you what to say.” In Exodus 4:13 Moses says, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” Remember, Moses was an educated man and powerful in speech and action. What changed? I believe Moses felt the overwhelming nature of the call of God.

I believe that the overwhelming aspect of God’s calling is for one major reason. It produces humility in our lives. Humility is a great indicator of submission to God. It is also a key component to having close relationship with God. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Moses learned humility as he embraced the process of change. He went from a man who trusted in his own strength, to a man who trusted in the power of God to work through him. Numbers 12:3 says, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” Because of his humility and faithfulness, God spoke to Moses face to face, clearly and not in riddles, and he had the special privilege of seeing the form of the Lord (Numbers 12:7-8).