A few months ago, when everyone geared up for the year of “double” blessings and abundance, feeling ready to take on the world I was exhausted.  Physically, emotionally and mentally on a LOW and I needed a time-out. I just couldn’t get over this nagging feeling that something has got to give.

Fast forward to a few months later, and BAM – Covid 19 hit and well, the rest our grandchildren will most probably learn about in history. But life as we all knew it changed within the blink of an eye.

I find it quite ironic that it took something like a world-wide pandemic to force me to a place of reflection.  (Yes, as in the Alanis Morissette song IRONIC- and if you don’t know who she is or haven’t heard the song, you were definitely not born in the 80’s or early 90’s. Do yourself a favour and google it).

At first, I laughed at the irony of it all and remembered that you should be careful what you wish for. Now don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t wish any kind of epidemic on anyone, I was more thinking along the lines of a sabbatical but there you have it… the thing that stopped my world from turning at the speed of light, the very thing that threatens my (our) livelihood, our health and changed the world completely is the thing that brought me to a place I needed to be. 

When “life as I knew it” stopped it brought me to the realisation that the ONLY constant in our lives will always be change.  Change is inevitable and, no matter how we feel about it, change is here to stay.

The other night we had a “3-year-old meltdown” when my youngest refused to go to sleep. If you’ve never seen or experienced this before, it’s not a pretty sight: imagine an octopus at some sort of a rave, hands and feet going everywhere accompanied by screaming and other strange noises followed by crying. You could see our little octopus was tired, but for some reason did not want to accept and give in to the inevitability of falling asleep. The irony is that “kicking and screaming” about it exhausted him even more, prolonged the suffering (for all of us) and didn’t change the fact that he will have to sleep at some point in time one bit. Eventually he accepted his fate and succumb to his own tired little body. You could physically see how his whole body relaxed as he fell asleep. Bliss… (for us as well).

Unconsciously we all know that change is our only constant and as long as we are breathing, this inevitability will force us into a new direction, but most of us tend to still only accept change “kicking and screaming”.  We waste so much energy and time trying to hold on to the way things were and ultimately end up prolonging the process (that in most cases are not easy “as is”) and also our own “suffering”.  Our reluctance to accept and adapt to change doesn’t only affect us, but also the people around us because it tends to sway our mindsets and emotions in a very negative way.

If the situation we are in now taught me one thing, it is the importance of accepting change and being able to adapt.  Being able to embrace change rather than fighting it and finding new ways to implement the changes effectively, creatively and constructively is a skill that we all need (especially NOW).

Adaptability (by definition) is the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions or the capacity to be modified for a new purpose.

Being adaptable means that a person is optimistic, positive and resilient in their attitude and in their actions.

I listened to a sermon by Steven Furtick the other day where he said that if your vision of who God is, is obstructed by what you are going through, the enemy can keep you running away from the blessing that is in store.  By focusing on what is in front of us (our reluctance to accept change and our fears and anxiety of the future), we are unable to turn our eyes, hopes and our hearts upwards.  There is new opportunity and blessings waiting on the other side of embracing and accepting “change”. 

Do you believe this to be true?  Do you believe that we serve an almighty, everlasting and loving God even in or actually, especially in the midst of our struggles?

We need to realize that our world has changed, and we need to accept it.  We need to adapt to the current situation without fear and anxiousness because we know and BELIEVE that what lies on the other side of this mountain is much bigger and better than we could ever have imagined.

We have to start seeing things in perspective again.  In Psalm 121:1 David says he lifts up his eyes to the mountain (his challenges, uncertainties and fears) and then asks where his help will come from.  His help doesn’t come from the hills, that is why he needs to lift his eyes even higher because David’s (and our) help (strength, positivity, adaptability and everything else we could ever need) comes from the Lord who reigns above and who sustains beneath.

I honestly believe that the ability to adapt positively to change is something that the Lord wants for all His children.  He wants us to get to a place where change doesn’t throw us off and makes us miserable and anxious.  He is not detached from what we are going through, how can He be? He counted the hairs on your head and knows of each sparrow that falls to the ground, He is with you in every single situation.

You just need to look UPWARDS and then INWARDS. The strength you need to go through trying times is inside of you, carefully put there by the one who holds you tightly in His hands: today, tomorrow and forever. And the best part is – you are not doing it alone!

Let’s embrace the change that is ever so present, let’s evolve, find new ways of doing things and look at the world through the lens of faith and not of fear.

What lies ahead CAN (without a doubt) be better that anything in our past, but only you have the power to decide if you are willing to positively adapt to the inevitable changes that will always be part of every single aspect of your life to experience the peace, joy and abundance that is on the other side.

You are in control of your mindset, you are capable, strong and worthy of so much more that you can ever think or imagine.

Until we chat again remember to #beablessing to yourself and to those around you.