God Never Changes, and What That Means for You This Christmas
Do you ever look at your life and feel like your dream is impossible? Perhaps the risk of holding on to hope seems especially scary right now, here at the end of 2020.
It’s true that circumstances can change. It’s also true that changed circumstances can sometimes shift the way we see our future.
But here’s the thing we need to remember when the entire world is shaking: God is not shaking. He never changes. In fact, it is not possible for Him to change. He is the Rock that cannot fall apart, fall short, or even tremble.
Consider the promise of James 1:17 with childlike faith. Ask the Lord what it means and how it applies to YOU this Christmas:
Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change. (Jas. 1:17 TPT)
The Lord never changes. He WILL NOT change and He DOES NOT change. He is a firm foundation that will never crumble under your feet, which is just one reason you can trust Him as 2020 rolls into 2021.
The Lord carefully wrote out His plans for you in the beginning (Eph. 2:10). His plans for your good. His plans that show off His faithfulness for you.
He knew exactly what was going to happen this year—with COVID-19, the closure of businesses, all the things people have gone through and are still going through. None of this surprised Him, and He has a plan to take these painful things and turn them into good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).
Make a Christmas memory with the Lord: At some point this week, steal away from all the festivities. Take a few minutes with a cup of tea or coffee and your journal, and meditate on what James 1:17 means for you. Write down anything the Lord shows you, and be confident in Him, full of faith.
Get Your Hopes Up!
Because the Lord is faithful and does not change, to you single ones, I say to keep having hope. Or as Kris Vallotton recently posted on social media, “Get your hopes up!”
Hope is the Lord’s nature. That’s who He is. When you walk in hope, you look like your heavenly Father, and you reveal Him to the world around you. God WILL bring about the fulfillment of the plans, wishes, and desires He Himself took the time to plant in your heart. Those “seeds” are precious to Him, and you are precious to Him.
Oh, dear child of God—He is coming and He has good things for you.
You can trust Him to bring you the spouse you’ve been praying for—that special person who will be a blessing and a sign of His goodness in your life for the long haul.
So have hope, and keep having hope. His love is always here for you. It is a constant in your life, and He has great plans for you.
Make a Christmas memory with the Lord: Take some time this week to make a list of everything the Lord has told you about your future. Keep in mind that some of these promises may seem “louder” or more obvious than others, but sometimes the Lord gives powerful promises in quiet or “normal” ways as well. As you make this list, ask Him to reveal His heart to you and to build your faith in His voice. Every single thing He’s told you WILL come to pass as you trust Him and follow His leading. The list you make with Him is a picture of what your future will look like.
About Our Christmas Picture…
One of our family traditions is to get our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and—hopefully—snap a good family Christmas picture. Over the years, we’ve gone through all kinds of phases: pictures when the kids didn’t want to pose, pictures when my hubby didn’t want to pose! But slowly, as the kids grew into collaborating adults, our pictures have gotten better.
Except for this year. (Please note the picture at the beginning of this article.)
With COVID regulations, we had to ask a kind stranger to take a few shots for us. The lighting wasn’t right, and the pictures kept coming out with shadows. Shadows everywhere.
But as I meditated on James 1:17—the Father of lights verse—I started thinking about this picture. Sometimes shadows work to conceal our faces or other parts of our beings, but we are not without hope. The Father of lights is here, and He keeps shining His light in each of us through His precious Spirit.
We are so blessed that Jesus was born and gave His life for all of us who believe in Him. We are so thankful that His love is infinite and His grace and mercy are unending.
Merry Christmas from Leon and me, our family, and the BTO staff! May this next year reveal to you how GOOD and faithful the Lord is, and may you know His great love in everything you do.
Interested in reading more about dating, relationships, and your walk with God? Here are a few articles on related topics:
For more information on sex, marriage, and finding the person who is right for you, get a copy of Becoming the One by Salomé Roat. Click here to learn more. The book is also available in Spanish.