What about Change?

When society seemed more structured and more ordered, then it was often thought that improvement would come by altering the architecture of society. Some thought this approach would fix up “the Church”

However, things did not stay ordered and all types of change are the norm. How do we interact with change? Do we cope with it, promote it, embrace it or oppose it? What is change anyway?

An old hymn says “change and decay in all around I see, O Lord, who changest not, abide with me.” The author had the right view of God but a negative view of change.

What is change anyway? Is it linear, i.e. does it start at a fixed point and follow a straight route to culmination? Is it cyclical, that is, do things come back to where we started and take off again? Or does change go in spirals, like a galaxy? Is change good, bad or neutral?

The most positive view is that change is essential to growth, and the negative view is that change is unavoidable and ends in death. In our lives we experience a succession of losses and griefs. If we do not know how to manage this, then we can fall into pessimism. Obviously some changes are good, some are bad, but change is a central feature of life.

We may approach it in different ways.

Coping with change implies a negativity which we shall master.

Embracing change implies positivity.

Assimilating change is an approach that wants to marry the shakeable with the unshakeable.

Promoting change seeks some empowerment within life processes.

Resisting change manifests in “permission refusal” which attitude imprisons the human spirit and can damage churches.

Managing change is pro-activity with open eyes.

Change is usually frightening. Loneliness makes it worse. Fellowship empowers for survival and even a new “mastery” . “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day” (Proverbs 4: 18)

Lindsay Johnstone

Back to index