“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. ” James 4:14 NLT
At some point we all tumble to the truth that Keith Ward Wrote about in his famous hymn, “The Solid Rock”,
“On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.”
Nothing in this life, except Jesus, is exempt from change…NOTHING and NO ONE! I used to think differently. I used to believe that there were some things some relationships which would remain unchanged forever. I was wrong.
I think change is most painful when it affects our intimacies. We were made for community and fellowship, but that created purpose is hard to achieve when all around us the people we know and love are going through life-change just like we are. Circumstance takes the ability to control our relationships out of our hands. The happenings of life take our connections and turn them 
into fluid things that run in and out of existence like rushing waterfalls: children grow up and move away, jobs change, friends get busy, people die, passions cool,divorce breaks up, babies are born, relationships blossom, new co-workers edge their way into our lives, people marry and the process starts all over!
So what do we do? Give up on relationship? Hide in our closet for the rest of our mortal lives? Well that’s a choice…one I sometimes make; But it’s not the best choice; It’s not the God choice!
The way to live successfully in a world where everything and everyone can change by tomorrow morning is not to hide; It is to find solid ground in a relationship with Jesus and address the rest of your changing relationships from that stand point. So many of us have pinned our hope, our joy and our faithfulness on a fallible person rather than on Jesus. Unfortunately, when that person falters in the process of their own changes we are blown to psychological bits. I can promise you no man woman or child will ever be able to meet all your personal needs. At some point people are going to come up short and turn into the “sinking sand” that Keith Ward talked about.
This isn’t a blog about ending relationships; It’s a blog about keeping your relationships in proper perspective: Trust Jesus and love people!
Maybe just maybe that is the point of some change you are going through right now. Maybe Jesus wants you to make Him the solid rock so that you can love someone else through their difficulty!
What do you think?
Reinventing the We'll 
Thank you, Pastor J.
Wow, did this hit home with me. I have been building a closer relationship with Jesus over the past 4 years and I am thankful that I have Jesus. I look back now on the life changes I have been through and I can’t imagine walking this journey without Him. It is awesome to have His unconditional love. Knowing that God loves me it makes it easier for me to love those that faltered in my relationships including myself.
God Bless,
Debby
I am learning much about this path of faltering in relationships Deb. Like you I am so glad Jesus is with me to guide me through these deep and treacherous waters. I am learning to trust Him so much more and I am thankful for every experience I have with Him by my side! 🙂 Thnaks for your comments.
Pastor J, you are really getting at the heart of what change is about. Changes in relationships is one of those things that can really throw us for a loop. Well, at least it does me. To trust Jesus enough to love people through all the changes is my prayer. And what a testimony of what His love in us can do!
God bless you as you help us look to Jesus during our changing times!
Thanks Debbie and may God bless you as you walk through the changes He has ordained for you. They are changes to prosper and bless and He has promised that the changes will all work together for your good!
I am always amazed by the people put in my path as by the ones whos path I am placed in. You never know what will happen in daily encounters and how it can change your heart.
So true. However fleeting a connection may be it forever changes our course doesn’t it even if in the smallest way! We were made for community. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Thank you, Pastor J
” The way to live successfully in a world where everything and everyone can change by tomorrow morning is not to hide; It is to find solid ground in a relationship with Jesus and address the rest of your changing relationships from that stand point. So many of us have pinned our hope, our joy and our faithfulness on a fallible person rather than on Jesus. Unfortunately, when that person falters in the process of their own changes we are blown to psychological bits. I can promise you no man woman or child will ever be able to meet all your personal needs. At some point people are going to come up short and turn into the “sinking sand” that Keith Ward talked about.”
This bites!!!! It is so easy to expect others to deliver on our expectations but none of us can be all things to all people. Your words are pointed but truthful. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
“Maybe Jesus wants you to make Him the solid rock so that you can love someone else through their difficulty!”
Earlier today visited a place I used to work . The word on every one’s lip was the (unwelcome) change that had taken place and is still taking place. Change is all around us. I have disappointed others and I have been disappointed more times than I prefer to admit. People didn’t set out to hurt each other but the limitations of mankind will cause us to come up short. Only Jesus can truly satisfy the relational needs we have and keep us balanced even as the world crashes and falls about us
We really can’t stop change but we can determine how it affects us.
P.S. When Pastor Jamie said “relationship is everything”, I imagine he was onto something! 😉
Blessings,
ann
It is so true Ann! Relationship is everything or at least it determines how we are going to perceive everything around us. That’s probably because relationship is the sy glass through which we see the world. What we take away from our relationships becomes the context for our circumstances. That’s why our chief relationship with God HAS to be full and rich! Thanks so much for your insights!
I love the Solid Rock hymn. They sang that just a few weeks ago in the Deaf service I went to. It was cool to see it signed.
I do too! It’s one of those hymns that never loses its power because of its truth. 🙂
Change is probably the only constant thing this world has to offer. In this world there is no thing or person you can hold onto and know it/they will be there tomorrow. I remember how frightening life was when I did not know anything but the world. Praise God that He stayed with me until I grabbed onto Him–and He has never let me go.
A-men Patricia! AS this world crumbles more and more it makes me more and more thankful that I have a God bigger than this world to rely on. 😉
I am reminded of the true story of a boy who, after a boating mishap, spent the night on a rock surrounded by the ocean. He was rescued cold, wet and trembling. When someone asked about his frightening experience, he said he was shivering with fear all night . . . . . but the rock never trembled at all.
Isn’t that like us? We face problems that could cause us to crash emotionally, mentally and physically – and spiritually – but when our faith is in THE ROCK of Jesus Christ, we remain safe and stable and He can use us to witness for Him.
What an amazing God!
I am learning to be the boy on the rock. God is faithfully teaching me that He does not move no matter how big the storm1 Thanks Angela! 🙂