Change

Okay, ladies. I’m sure many of you can relate to the type of morning I had this past Sunday. I woke up nice and early, read my morning devotional, prayed and went ahead and got up to get ready for the day. I showered, did my hair and makeup, then threw on a robe to go to the kitchen and pop a quiche in the oven. (One of four I had prepared in advance and put in the freezer weeks ago. See my blog post entitled Preparation for more on this topic.) Since I had already picked out what I was going to wear the night before, I was elated when I looked at the clock and saw that I had a full thirty minutes left before it was time to go (and I’m talking thirty minutes before the time I actually wanted to leave which means it was forty-five minutes before I absolutely had to leave).

I was so excited about all the extra time that I wanted to go snuggle up on the sofa with my Bible for a while before I left. As I was making my way, a soft voice of wisdom said, “You better go ahead and get fully dressed before you do that.” Thankfully, I listened and obeyed. I grabbed my dress and was about to put it on when I realized it had just a few light wrinkles in one spot. They were barely noticeable but since I had all this extra time, I thought I might as well get it as nice and crisp as possible. I ironed my dress, slipped it on, got it all accessorized and was pleased with the outcome. Only one more assessment and I would be ready to go in record time.

I always put every outfit through what I call The Hallelujah Test. “What is The Hallelujah Test?” you may be wondering. Well, I’m so glad you asked. Before I walk out the door, I raise both arms in the air and do a three hundred and sixty degree turn in the full-length mirror. I want to make sure I will be fully free to worship without any fear of providing a peep show to those sitting around me. Well, my sweet little baby doll dress that would have been totally appropriate for just about any other occasion did not pass The Hallelujah Test. It was a little too short for my liking with my arms fully raised. So, I changed.

This time I went for a maxi dress since I knew it would pass The Test. I got out one I had never worn before, pulled off all the tags and put it on. I don’t know how this is possible, but even with my highest heels it was way too long! I’m not talking a little too long. I’m talking so long it would be unsafe to try to walk in. Alright… No time to waste. I’ve got to change. I felt like I was in a real life nursery rhyme. This one’s too short. This one’s too long. So, surely the next one would be just right!

This time I chose a high-low dress – one that’s high in the front and low in the back. I figured this one would be the best of both worlds. On it goes. Super cute! I went over to the mirror and raised my arms. The low part of the dress passed the test but the high part failed. This nursery rhyme is over. It’s time to change.

Before I did, I needed to quickly check on breakfast. Out to the kitchen I went. I added a few extra minutes to the oven and noticed all my extra minutes to get out the door had been subtracted. I quickly made my way back to my room so I could figure out what was next. I pulled out another dress and held it up to me. It was long but not too long. This should be it! I put it on and it came to my ankles all the way around. Yes! But it fits a little too well, if you know what I mean. No! I’ve got to change again.

I came out of my closet and went to one of my overflow racks (don’t judge). There was hanging a cute little dress that I had bought a couple of months ago. It wasn’t too short and it wasn’t too long. It was a high-low but it passed The Hallelujah Test with flying colors. It was a size larger than I usually wear which made it extra flowy. A quick ironing, a change from gold accessories to silver, a switching out of purses, a selection of the right pair of shoes, and I’m finally ready to go. Instead of being thirty minutes early, I’m now leaving just in the nick of time. I walked out of my room and the first thing my daughter said was, “You changed?” Wondering how she knew that I asked, “How did you know I changed?” She said, “I saw you when you came out earlier to turn the oven back on.” “Huh,” I thought to myself. I didn’t know anyone had even noticed I had changed. I grab a slice of quiche, headed out the door and made it to church right on time.

Never in a million years would I have ever thought I’d have to change that much. If you saw me in any one of the outfits I changed from, you would have thought it was just fine – possibly even really nice. But even though each looked really good, none of them were appropriate for where I was trying to go. In order for you to get to where God wants you to go, you are going to be required to change. It doesn’t necessarily mean the old was bad, but change is the prerequisite for experiencing something new. We cannot expect to keep doing the same old things, the same old way, with the same old people in the same old places and at the same time expect to enter into brand new seasons, experience new things, flow in new gifts or reach new levels of freedom. We cannot be afraid of change. Growth requires change. Progress requires change. Obedience requires change. If God is instructing you to make a change in your life, you automatically know it’s for your good and His glory.

We won’t always know why we need to change. There may be some subtle wrinkles in our lives that need to be ironed out. There may be some things that are fine for us but may cause a distraction for others. Some change may be required in order for us to experience new levels of freedom. There may be things we’re trying to walk in that could eventually cause us to stumble and fall. Trust me… It’s usually a lot easier to make the necessary change when God initially prompts you than to experience a fall, suffer the consequences, then get back up only to still have to make the same change anyway. The quicker you change, the quicker you’ll make it to your destination.

Now, I am in no way suggesting that change is easy. Most of the time it would be much easier to just stay the way you are. Change can be frustrating, time-consuming, and often times will require some extra cleanup as you go. But, when you make the right change, the outcome is usually more beautiful than you ever imagined and the freedom you gain makes the struggle worth every moment. Then, on top of all of that, you never know all the people that are watching you along the way that are encouraged to make a change in their lives because of the change you made in yours.

To go even deeper, get your copy of one or all of our Everyday Wisdom Book Series and subscribe to our Everyday Wisdom Podcast.