He Doesn't Change

HELLO FRIENDS,

For those of us who haven’t met me, my name is Paige. I am on staff at WSFC. You might recognize me on Sunday mornings as the one with the big ol’ boot on her foot. 

 For years I’ve found joy and fulfillment in running. This summer I was training for a big race until I faced a major setback when I suffered a severe foot injury. My injury brought my training and goals to an abrupt halt. In the face of severe disappointment I had two options: I could sit in a place of confusion, frustration and disappointment, begging God to make sense of my derailed plan, or I could feel confused, frustrated and disappointed while trusting God to be God. 

 I spent a couple weeks in the “God can you please make this make sense” and “I really think that if you explained why this is happening I could get behind it” camp. I wasn’t sure how I’d make it through this if God didn’t clearly reveal the purpose of the disappointment. I was grasping for possible lessons left and right. God, without explaining “the why,” gently reminded me that He is God always. With grace and patience, he met me in my disappointment and comforted his hurting child with the reminder that he doesn’t change, even though my circumstances do.

Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” God’s character is unchanging in my ever-changing circumstances. He doesn’t have to make sense of our circumstances for us, because we can trust that He, in his perfect nature, is always by our side.

 Two months later, I am still disappointed that my plans changed and my routines continue to be impacted. The Bible tells lots of stories of people who faced disappointment when things didn’t go according to plan. Job didn't expect to lose his whole family. Joseph didn’t expect he’d be sold into slavery. Paul didn’t expect to spend years in prison. Disappointment can feel like betrayal, confusion, loss or unmet expectations, but all these stories of disappointment turn into stories of redemption. Job was restored and his understanding of God’s sovereignty was renewed. God placed Joseph into a position of power in Egypt. Paul spread the gospel, and wrote several of the New Testament books we learn from today. In times of discouragement, we make a choice to let God be God. 

Proverbs 16:9 says “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” The message translation says “but God determines our steps.”

God took the course I was holding tightly, and redirected my steps to walk in His direction. I don’t need to see where my steps with God will take me to know that he is leading them. While I was tightly gripping my plans, God was loosely holding my plans, and tightly gripping onto me. Friends, as we go about our days, making our plans, let’s hold them loosely, and tightly grip the Lord.

Paige Klopfenstein
First Impressions and Outreach Pastor