Change is hard.
They say the most stressful times are times of change. Moving, graduating, beginning a new job, getting married, having children—no matter how wonderful, each of these changes is stressful. If they all happen within a short period of time, the stress may become anxiety.
Losing a spouse is an even more difficult transition because of the grief involved. Not only have your circumstances changed dramatically, but you have the emotional loss of that person’s presence. Losing a dream can be equally significant if that dream was closely related to your hope or sense of purpose.
The famous poem by Langston Hughes asks “What happens to a dream deferred?” and the answer is—that dream will be grieved like the loss of a loved one.
Change is hard.
Change is not only hard for individuals, but for groups, nations, and cultures. Imagine changing from rule by kings to rule by elected officials. Or the change from a free market to a market where every price and paycheck is strictly controlled by Communist officials. Or the change from a nation of idol-worshippers to Bible readers. Even that change would present challenges. (How do we teach everyone to read?)
The most incredible change in history happened between the Resurrection and Pentecost.
Have you ever thought about that? Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday. He remained on earth teaching for another 40 days until His ascension, and Peter preached the first Christian sermon ten days after that, on the day of Pentecost. History’s greatest paradigm shift (a change in underlying assumptions about the world) happened in only fifty days.
So what changed?
When Jesus rose again, He returned to a Jewish culture where the Mosaic law reigned supreme. The followers of Jesus still looked to the law for salvation. On top of that, the disciples had spent three years fanning the flames of their dream that Jesus would overthrow the Romans, establish an earthly kingdom, and sit down on a throne with the disciples alongside Him.
All of that was about to change. Jesus had seven weeks to convert the disciples from fishermen following a legalistic brand of Judaism for Jews-only, to Fishers-of-Men leading a movement with a message of Grace and forgiveness for ALL people through the blood of Christ, the slain and now-risen Passover Lamb.
Jesus would accomplish this change using two tools: (1) Solid teaching, and (2) TIME.
First, Jesus showed up and showed mercy: “Reach here your finger and touch My hands, and reach here your hand and touch My side, and be not unbelieving, but believing” John 20:27. And there was the amazing teaching on the walk to Emmaus “Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures” Luke 24:45. Jesus explained all the prophecies to a pair of His unnamed disciples, explained His death, explained that there would be a first coming and a second coming, and probably talked a great deal about grace. Jesus did a great deal of similar teaching throughout the forty days.
But He did not spend all His time with the twelve best-known disciples. He moved around, leaving Peter and the others alone for days at a time (eight days passed in John 20:26). He gave them time. Sometimes His closest companions simply went fishing, John 21:3. They returned to their old lives. They saw old friends. I don’t know everything they did—the Bible does not say. But Jesus gave them seven weeks to adapt. Seven weeks to process the change. Seven weeks to pull loose from the old wineskin of legalistic first-century Judaism. Seven weeks to think about the meaning of a crucified and resurrected Messiah. Jesus gave them time to absorb the loss of their old way of thinking, and time to begin to think and see the world differently. After forty days, He left them—though He promised to send the Holy Spirit—and they spent ten days in intense prayer. Those ten days must have been critical to the transition.
Finally, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came on the disciples and Peter preached the first sermon of salvation by grace (not works). “And that day 3,000 people were added” Acts 2:41.
If you are facing change, give yourself time to adjust. And spend the time filling your mind with solid teaching. The Book of Proverbs is a great place to start.
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