Painful Change

"Growth is painful. Change is painful. But, nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong."
N. R. Narayana Murthy

Normally, I am quite open to change, and even welcome it over doing the same things, over and over again. Especially when I have patiently waited for an answer to a specific prayer, the change the Lord has brought about to answer my prayer produces an overwhelming gratefulness and joy in my soul! 

For the past 25 years (but more deeply in the past 8 years), I have prayed over a specific change in the life of a loved one. Throughout these years, God has allowed me and my family to go through some amazing, but mostly tumultuous times. (If you have read my past blog posts, you may have read about some of those times.) My prayer has been to bring my loved one home...and ultimately, back into having a relationship with the Lord. Recently, the Lord answered the first half of my prayer. Of course, I was overjoyed! It was a big step that only God could have opened the doors for it to take place!!

The thing is, it was such an instant event, I'm not really sure how prepared I was/am for the changes that has/will occur...I was so set on the thought that it would take longer than it did (even though I deeply wanted it to be answered right away), that I went ahead and made my own plans, not thinking that they could all be affected by this, too. I truly didn't think that change may possibly upset the balance in my life. 

What I've Learned

• Painful change and hurting for the right thing(s) - the thing(s) that break the heart of God - is good. 

• When I try to avoid pain, I avoid taking risks that could change my life and other's lives. When I try to avoid pain, I avoid loving and being loved in return. 

• There cannot be change without some pain, but it will be worth it if I endure the painfulness of change.

• I grow and learn new things every time something changes. I discover new insights about different aspects of my life. I learn lessons even from changes that did not lead me to where I wanted to be. 

• Frequent changes make me easily adapt to new situations, new environments, and new people. As a result I do not freak out when something unexpectedly shifts.(Something I did a lot in the past). 

• Not all changes lead me to pleasant periods of life. Unfortunately we do not live in fairy tale and sad things happen, too. Overcoming the tough period have made/will make me stronger. 

• One never knows what each change may bring. When I turn from my usual path there will be plenty of different opportunities waiting for me. Changes will bring new choices for happiness and fulfillment. 

• Small changes become extremely valuable. One shift at a time, small changes will eventually lead me to the desired big one...God's ultimate answer to my prayer.  

Some songs about change.......

Sometimes I wish change wasn't so painful, I wish pain didn’t affect me so deeply - so that I can love, live, hope and dream more.


But I must remember—if there was no pain, then there would be no change, and without change there can be no joy or miracles! So, I rejoice in the already answered prayer and wait for God to answer the second half of my prayer...

 "God's plan is always the best. Sometimes the process is painful and hard, but He has a purpose for our pain, a reason for our struggle, and a reward for our faithfulness."

(Dave Willis)

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