Life Is Never the Same

It is a good thing that I like changing weather. I enjoy knowing that one night it can be 25 degrees with snow but in a short time could be 61 degrees. However, I live in West Texas and that weather change recently occurred within a twelve hour time span. On some days, I go to work in a sweater and coat and by lunch have the air conditioning on. And in West Texas, the change sometimes catches even our meteorologists by surprise. How can you prepare for change like that?

It's like life, isn't it? Sometimes something happens that we had no idea was coming: sickness, job loss, accidents, or natural disasters. Our emotional life fluctuates from one extreme to the other. We can go from joy to heartache in just a few moments. Relationships falter, marriages struggle, friends hurt us. It works the other way also. Good news on test results, a hug from a child, a job promotion, a birthday or anniversary, a heartfelt apology, and time spent with people who love us can lift us to emotional highs.

We all want the wonderful experiences of life, yet we know the hard times come ... sometimes quickly, and sometimes unexpectedly. Surviving the "climate changes" of life is not as easy as putting on — or taking off — a sweater. We all need something solid, stable, and permanent in our life ... something we can count on no matter what happens or how we are feeling.

There is something — someone, in fact — you can count on to be unfailingly consistent. Jesus was the same yesterday as he is today. And he will be the same tomorrow. He is always there, always loves you, and will not be affected by the circumstances of your life. In a world where things can change dramatically in just a heartbeat, he is the one certainty you can count on ... no matter what happens tomorrow.

That is how I have survived the radical changes in my life. You can too. I can help. Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org, or join our blog discussion at www.hopeforlife.org.