WEEK 1

TAKE AWAYS: 

• We all have terms and conditions-or expectations- for what life should like like. And then one day, life completely rearranges things on us.
• Change and be a good or bad thing. However either way, we all struggle with it for a couple of reasons...
  • It forces us into the unknown. Until we know how things turn out, it can be pretty stressful. 
  • We lose perspective. It can feel like the end of the world. 
  • It causes us to realize we're not in control. We spend a lot of time trying to control outcomes.
• So the question we need to tackle isn't, "How do we avoid change?" The real questions is, "How can we make it through change?" 
• God chose a group of people, the Israelites, to be His people and wanted them to live differently than every other people group in the world. So he gave them a set of laws on how to live great lives while setting themselves apart.
• Fast forward a few centuries when God entered the world as a real, flesh-and-blood person, Jesus. He shared the amazing truth that His love wasn't just for the Jewish people, but for the whole world. 
• Jesus himself had not changed. He was the representation of the same God they had been following since they first encountered Him. 
• To us, those changes seem awesome, but to the Jewish people at the time, they were unsettling. In the middle of change, you have no clue how things are going to turn out. 
• Their circumstances had changed, but God's character hadn't changed one bit. 
• Your circumstances will change, but His character never will. 
• The best way to remember this truth is to keep it in front of you. It's important that we stay focused on the One who can stabilize and keep us balanced. 
• How do we do that? If you think back, I bet you can remember a specific time when God came through for you. 
• Take some time to think through your past and come up with a few specific memories of how God stayed the same when life didn't. 
• Once you remember that moment or time when He showed up, write it down and put it in a place where you'll see it daily. 
• Bottom Line: Life changes. God doesn't. 

DEVOTIONALS

WEEK 2

TAKE AWAYS: 

• When life is subject to change, it’s only a matter of time before we encounter disappointments, let downs, and situations that aren’t good and aren’t changing back to the way we want them.
• No matter what it is, all of our situations with negative change have one thing in common: They feel final.
• When our new reality no longer matches what we expected, we can feel completely alone.
• Whether you’ve been there yet or not—or you’re simply afraid that a current situation is headed that way—at some point we all face this question: What do you do when there’s nothing you can do?
• Jesus confirms it’s not a matter of “if.” He recognizes we will have troubles. It’s inevitable for all of us. But that’s not the end of it. He says that even when we experience change and face trials, we can take heart because He has overcome the world.
• Jesus is greater than anything we’ll ever face.
• Yes, you will go through difficult changes and circumstances, but because of Jesus, that’s not the way your story ends. Because of His death and resurrection, Jesus has overcome the world, and that includes every trouble you will face.
• “Take heart” is actually where we get the word “encourage." It was kind of like He was telling them, "Encourage yourself!"
• So how do we do that? 
  • Remind yourself of what's true. God is with you. Your story isn't over. Jesus has overcame death. He can get you through this. 
  • Live like it's true. Trust isn't about what how you feel; it's about what you do. 
• You can choose to live as if God is with you and He can be trusted, whether you feel that way right now or not.
• Bottom Line: No matter what, God is with you.  

DEVOTIONALS

WEEK 3

TAKE AWAYS: 

• There’s a common thread that runs through every situation: When it comes to making a change, it’s easy to see we need to do something. But it’s really difficult to actually do what needs to be done.
• Why is that? 
  • We're afraid to fail. 
  • We're afraid to stand out. 
  • We don't want to seem judgmental. 
  • We don't attempt change because it seems overwhelming. 
• Making a change is possible. And it can benefit you even beyond the actual change itself!
• During one of Jesus’ last talks with His followers, He told them that they would be His witnesses in their hometown and beyond—that they would take His message of grace, forgiveness, and the Gospel to the very ends of the earth. 
• Jesus was telling them to make a change—to move beyond their comfort zones and out into the world.
• When we push through the pain and struggle of any kind, including the struggle to change, we don’t just become better at that specific thing, we develop personal endurance.
• It’s like you’re developing a muscle of endurance that will help you when you face any kind of change. And when you have this perspective, every change you face is another opportunity to grow, not just personally but spiritually. 
• When it comes to change, our tendency is to focus on all the negative parts—all the trouble that comes with it. But when we see change as something that has a trickle-down effect into every area, we see that it’s more about becoming better than it is about being uncomfortable.
• When we view change this way—the way God does—we recognize that it’s all about growth.
• But James is telling them that, when we trust who God is and what He’s like, we can be sure that God is doing something in us, no matter how uncomfortable the change may be.
• This so important for you to get at the stage of life you’re in. Life doesn’t become simpler as you move to new stages. It gets more complex.
• And the strength you develop now will be the strength you take with you into your future. So when you pursue endurance in the face of change now, you’ll be better prepared for even bigger challenges in the future.
• So instead of saying, “I’m working hard to change this one thing,” say, “I’m working hard to become a person who changes things.”
• Pick one area that you think you need to change or you believe God is calling you to change. Decide to think of it not as changing what you do, but as working on who you are.
• Bottom Line: God can change the way you see change.  

DEVOTIONALS