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Embracing Change: Reflecting on Life’s Inevitable Shifts

Hey friends, how are you today? Wow, can you believe February is almost over? We are near the end of the second month of 2026.  Sometimes, it feels like 2025 never ended. It’s still winter.  There is still snow on the ground.  The squirrels still play tag.  Our God is still the same God (which is good news).  So many things remained the same.  

Did we remain the same though? The year is now 2026.  It’s a new year.   The pages of each day have yet to unfold.  Each day, the Lord allows, is a brand-new day.  How will the end of today look? How do I want today to end? I have made plans for today.  There are tasks I want to complete.  There are activities I plan to attend.  Will today be the same Wednesday as last week?  

New days, new weeks, new year.  Prayerfully new me.  I do love new days.  Truly, life is so short, I am thankful for each new day.  But am I the same person I was last year? Is it possible for people to remain unchanged? I’m not sure that’s possible.  We either progress or we regress.  Change, within us, is inevitable.  Even though we can’t see it… yet.

Life, as a Christian, is like a backward, forward treadmill.  We never stand still.   We either draw closer to Jesus or we slowly but surely revert to our ‘old nature’.  Change is inevitable.  Circumstances change us.  People can change us.  Places can also bring about change.  The Word of God will definitely change us.

Should the change be inevitable or deliberate? Or can change be brought about by both? I think both.  I lost more than one childhood friend in 2025; one was younger than me. After one death, my heart was broken.  Then there was the second and then a third.  All died unexpectedly because they all were rather ‘young’.  

Before their deaths, most of the people in my life lived long lives.  I assumed that would be the story of the people in my life.   I assumed that would be my story.  Although I didn’t say the words, I assumed time was mine.  After the third death, I realized I had to change my thinking.  

The assumption that I would live a long life was not intentional.  My grandpa was 94, my grandmother was 87.  My dad was almost 80.  Although I was thankful for each new day, I don’t think I ever truly appreciated the gift of time.  

Time is a gift, isn’t it? New days are not guaranteed.  Today matters.  What I do today matters.  My time has value.  How I use my time is important.  I’ve also realized something else.   My beliefs determine my use of time.   

What do I then believe? Sometimes I lie to myself.  I think I believe one thing, but my actions say something completely different.  I say the words, but the truth of it has yet to take root in my soul.   My actions and my words do not align. 

A few days ago, I ask myself a question.  I know… I know… Sounds crazy, right? But stick with me for a moment.  I said, “Brenda, what’s the hardest thing you’ve ever endured?”  I went down the list of all my hardships.  My childhood abuse, that was life changing.  My miscarriage, that also brought change.  There is so much more. I want to say, perhaps too much, Lord.

But then I realized something.  Yes… these circumstances altered my life.  That was inevitable (see we are getting back to the point).   But even harder than these was my reactions to these events.  The Bible tells me how to handle these crises.  The Lord tells me to expect these trials.  Yet at the arrival of each hardship, I feel like a wave.  I’m tossed to and fro by my feelings. 

The trials of life are truly trying. That’s why they’re called trials.  But that in itself isn’t the hardest thing in our lives.  The hardest part of these trials is what I do, as I go through it.  Most times, I just want to lay down, right next to it.  I’m one of those people, who turn inward, when life gets hard.  I don’t talk.  And I stay away from people.  That’s my default position.  

One would think that the more trials we go through, the better we get at the handling of it.  But now the ‘handling’ of it is intentional.   Sometimes, I tell the Lord, it’s too much.  It’s too hard, Father, I can’t bear it.  There was no warning, Lord.  (Well actually there was, I just didn’t expect it).  Why didn’t I expect it though?  

My beliefs determine my actions.  What I believe about life, about time, about God, about me, about people matters.  How do I know what I believe? Take a true look at my actions.  They speak louder than my words.  

My words said, I value time.  But in reality, my actions said, I have all the time in the world.  With that point of view, I lived life like I had all the time in the world.  I forgot what the Lord said about life.  Although I said I appreciate each new day, my actions throughout the day did not agree.  I lived for me, far more than I lived for the Lord.  How do I know that? 

Because God loves people.  I know… I know… sometimes, I’m surprised too.  He does, He truly loves people.  He loves you and me and every single person in the world.  He loves everyone, no exception.  The ‘good’ (for there is no one good), the bad (need I say more?) and the ugly.  

What do my actions say about my love for people? What do my actions say about time? Prayerfully, my actions will say I love completely.

How are you today? How do you value time? How do you show love to others?

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30 responses to “Embracing Change: Reflecting on Life’s Inevitable Shifts”

  1. You’re so right, Brenda: “My beliefs determine my use of time.” And yet so often I move from one day to the next on auto-pilot, following habitual patterns for how I use my time, not being as intentional as I should about what I accomplish. That statement about beliefs and time is worthy of journaling, to discover how beliefs should impact use of time.

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  2. Dear friend, God knows our weaknesses. And He loves us anyway . Some of us have trouble with change, especially unexpected or bad changes like death . No matter what I tell myself or how much I pray, my flesh still reacts to these events . Visceral, heart pounding, panic. It’s trauma . Childhood abuse and other trauma makes it really hard not to react like that. Also some people are just “neurodivergent” and feel things differently. The key is that I do eventually remember that God is with me in the trial. I’m so thankful for his love and grace! Someday we’ll be in his presence and feel that total acceptance, love and peace that we so desperately want. But until then we just keep turning to him , as soon as we remember. 💞🙏

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  3. I value time and try to take time every day to appreciate the beauty of nature. However, it seems like I am always busy and rushing instead of relaxing and enjoying each new day.
    We are blessed, for His mercies are new every morning. Peace and Blessings, Brenda! 🌺💕🌺

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  4. I do value time and learn from not using it wisely. My prayer is for the Lord to order my day and direct my steps. When the day ends I have to say thank you for the interruptions I hadn’t planned on and the work I didn’t get done and remember I asked God to order my day. I’m still learning to give him his gift of time to me.

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  5. “My beliefs determine my use of time.” – Isn’t that the truth! Do I move forward with what I bring with me from my morning devotions? Or do I switch the channel upon exit?

    Lord, keep me in that morning glow, that bubble of Your presence, as I interact with the folks you bring to my life. You are my “force field” and my filter. May I live in the peace of obedience.

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  6. The loss of family and friends is something we all suffer. It is a constant reminder that we are here for a short time. We need to make the most of the time that we have remaining. Ephesians 5:15 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

    We can trust God because He is faithful! He knows every heartache we have endured and He cares for us!

    Blessings!!

    ❤️carmen

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  7. The loss of family and friends is something we all suffer. It is a constant reminder that we are here for a short time. We need to make the most of the time that we have remaining. Ephesians 5:15 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

    We can trust God because He is faithful! He knows every heartache we have endured and He cares for us!

    Blessings!!

    ❤️carmen

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  9. I am quite a few years ahead of you in this matter of time on earth, but the difference will seem so small in the annals of eternity when we, with unveiled faces, behold HIS glory‼️
    ❤️&🙏, until we meet over THERE! your brother, c.a.🤠

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  10. Teach us to count our days and make our days count Lord. We only know we have today. As we get older and friends/aquaintances pass away, it is a reminder to make our time count. So sorry about what you have been through. I am so glad you know Jesus.

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  12. Amen 🙏🤗
    Time is a gift. We say we believe that, but our days show what we truly believe. “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12.

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  13. Today I am better mood wise and mentally than I was yesterday. Yesterday was so bad I gave up and went to bed. Time is a precious commodity is something I always remembered. I am not sure where I got it from. I try to be intentional with my time and with whom I spend it with and I think that shows one values time. Especially, after the transitioning of friends and loved ones in the last 5 years.

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  15. Brenda, I love your heart and how you share the love of Christ and your reflections of how His love has changed your through your trials. It’s a beautiful testimony, my friend.
    I’m sorry for the loss of your friends and Father. Through this article, my heart and soul were nodding. Recently, my family and I all have mentioned the “heaviness” we have felt in the world. Those near to us losing battles; some young, some older.
    I do value the time God gives me to check in with others–just like being here to read this timely and beautiful post. I want to love others as Christ loves me.
    Like you, when I’ve had trials (divorces, deaths, bankruptcy, the diagnosis, sons leaving for military,…and miscarriage so i understand), I go “inward” so that I can go to Christ first. Then, through deep prayer and my communion with Him, there is a sister or brother that will reach out just at the right time.
    I can’t imagine life without Christ IN ME. You are such a wonderful gift and sister, Brenda. THank you for sharing God’s wisdom through you, your own wisdom and insights, and being here to encourage us all. God bless you, sister!

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