A friend called the other day and mentioned that he had moved, it was not upward or even lateral, but a move deemed necessary by the call of Jesus Christ. He and the family were going through a tough adjustment. He knew that I had made adjustment from the house of our dreams to a nice, but not as nice parsonage and that we had also lived in gated communities.
After listening for some time (that’s why so many people call me) a few interjections explained culture shock to him. Missionaries have to deal with this as the move they make to follow the Lord is often humanly downward on the scale of comfort.
After hanging up, a quote at the bottom of AOPA’s Aviation e Brief, came to mind, and I copied it and sent it to my friend. The quote is from Mary Shelly, the author of “Frankenstein” the monster that seemed to have a lot of trouble with change. Note Mary’s statement:
“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.” Mary Shelly
Mary was acquainted with sudden change, having suffered several miscarriages, and enough romantic upheaval for several women. Whatever else she may have been she knew firsthand the pain of sudden change, the dashing of expectation on the rocks of disappointment.
A biblical phrase in the older translations deals with change via the use of “And it came to pass.”
The underlying meaning of the phrase simply means what was the norm yesterday changed overnight and now a new norm is in place for you until the phrase is again uttered over the mantle of your life. Often change is gradual, but the reality of it hits you suddenly, like a flash of lightening on a stormy night.
Years ago I spent a lot of time listening to a friend who had attempted suicide and failed. He wife had walked in one night and informed him she was leaving him for another him. He handled it wisely and appeared to be doing well. About a year later, one evening on his way home to the empty house, it hit him like a ton of bricks and he simply could not cope with the realities of the year past change.
Only you know what change you have been through, long ago or yesterday. How you accept the change, whether it is good or bad, determines to a large degree what your life will hold for you in the near or distant future. In times of change it is good to trust the Lord as He knows the end from the beginning. Job suffered greatly due to overwhelming change. One verse above all in his book has helped me through many dark nights. See what you think:
“But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me. I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For IT Work click Oral Deckard
After listening for some time (that’s why so many people call me) a few interjections explained culture shock to him. Missionaries have to deal with this as the move they make to follow the Lord is often humanly downward on the scale of comfort.
After hanging up, a quote at the bottom of AOPA’s Aviation e Brief, came to mind, and I copied it and sent it to my friend. The quote is from Mary Shelly, the author of “Frankenstein” the monster that seemed to have a lot of trouble with change. Note Mary’s statement:
“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.” Mary Shelly
Mary was acquainted with sudden change, having suffered several miscarriages, and enough romantic upheaval for several women. Whatever else she may have been she knew firsthand the pain of sudden change, the dashing of expectation on the rocks of disappointment.
A biblical phrase in the older translations deals with change via the use of “And it came to pass.”
The underlying meaning of the phrase simply means what was the norm yesterday changed overnight and now a new norm is in place for you until the phrase is again uttered over the mantle of your life. Often change is gradual, but the reality of it hits you suddenly, like a flash of lightening on a stormy night.
Years ago I spent a lot of time listening to a friend who had attempted suicide and failed. He wife had walked in one night and informed him she was leaving him for another him. He handled it wisely and appeared to be doing well. About a year later, one evening on his way home to the empty house, it hit him like a ton of bricks and he simply could not cope with the realities of the year past change.
Only you know what change you have been through, long ago or yesterday. How you accept the change, whether it is good or bad, determines to a large degree what your life will hold for you in the near or distant future. In times of change it is good to trust the Lord as He knows the end from the beginning. Job suffered greatly due to overwhelming change. One verse above all in his book has helped me through many dark nights. See what you think:
“But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me. I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For IT Work click Oral Deckard
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