Don’t Believe the Lie That Change Is Always Bad

I can’t do this anymore. I just can’t. I can’t do all of this change all at once.

Okay, yes, I’m being a bit of a drama queen. But the world truly is changing. The coronavirus has changed everything.

I recently got an email that my college’s on-campus classes will be switched to online classes for the remainder of the semester. Taking online classes means goodbye dorm room. Goodbye cafeteria. Goodbye professors. Goodbye tutoring job. And goodbye friends.

When Life Changes…

Of course, I love my family and am excited for the opportunity to spend more time with them. I enjoy eating dinner with them, watching movies with them, and catching up on life together. I’ve missed them ever since I started college.

But I’m also going to miss the community I had at college. I can’t imagine not seeing my friends for the next five months—until the fall semester! It’s not a quick trip to my college, so it’s impossible to simply drive there and see my friends anytime I want.

Obviously, being the worrier that I am, there are questions and concerns constantly swirling around in my mind. This change to online classes will probably have many disadvantages, like technical issues and communication difficulties. But does that mean I can claim this change will be a bad thing?

Honestly, I’ve been believing the lie that change is bad. Because change means transitioning from comfortable to uncomfortable. And that’s a bad thing…right?

…Don’t Despair

Sure, it’ll be odd to work on homework and listen to class lectures in my bedroom. It’ll be weird to simply walk to the fridge instead of having to go to the cafeteria for meals. It’ll take some adjustment to figure out my schedule and how long assignments will take.

But these changes that seem bad can actually be very good. Personally, I think that Satan wants us to believe the lie that change is always bad so that we’ll despair. Because when we despair about the changes ahead of us—and the changes currently in our midst—we give up. 

But friends, we can’t give into despair. If we despair, then we’ll become anxious and lose hope. We won’t bother looking for the silver linings—and there are always silver linings.

There are many reasons that I’m glad to be home, and there are many reasons that I’ll miss being at college. Satan tells me that this doing-classes-online-now is a bad change. But God tells me that this is a good change because He can use this adjustment in my life to shape me to look more like Him.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30 NASB)

Here’s the silver lining about the coronavirus and the changes it brings: The coronavirus is bigger than us, but it’s not bigger than God. I don’t want you to despair because of the changes that you’re currently facing. And since the opposite of despair is hope, please hold onto hope. Trust in the One who’s greater than the coronavirus. Look for those silver linings. And don’t believe the lie that change is a bad thing—because God can use change to change us.