hange is an essential part of life, one of the principles of existence. The earth and its inhabitants are changing constantly: mammals evolve from embryos to adults, the land conforms to patterns of wind and water, seasons change. Without change, we would remain stagnant. But many of us find change hard to accept and we resist. Why do we resist change, and what happens when we do? Is it possible to learn how to accept change and still remain comfortable?

Why we resist change

Fear is the main reason many of us have difficulty accepting change. We are comfortable in our familiar surroundings and circumstances; and when the winds of change start blowing, we become anxious and afraid. We fear change because it threatens our sense of what is important to us. We are afraid of losing our sense of security or stability. We fear a lack of control. We fear the unfamiliar.

We set certain standards for our lives and arrange our surroundings to conform to our needs and desires. We build a box around our lives and settle into it. But when something unexpected and unfamiliar comes along to crack the walls of our box, we get panicky. We resist the change because it interferes with the standards and securities we've set up in our comfort zone.

Oftentimes, we see change as an insurmountable giant. After Moses and the Israelites left Egypt and eventually reached the promised land of Canaan, the Lord instructed Moses to send 12 spies to scope out the land (Numbers 13). Ten of the men reported good news and bad news: "We went into the land ... and it does flow with milk and honey .... But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large." (Numbers 13:27-28).

Considering the giant task of defeating these people to gain the promised land, the Israelites grew afraid, ready to chuck it all and return to Egypt (Numbers 14:1-4). They neglected to see that God's power is larger than any great mission, and because of their lack of faith, they were condemned to die in the desert; only their children would see the promised land (Numbers 14:26-35).

Have you been resisting a certain change in your life? Has something unexpected cropped up with which you've been having difficulty dealing? Perhaps your work assignments have changed or your company wants you to relocate. Maybe you're having a hard time letting go of your children as they grow up. Or you may be dealing with a situation where a doctor wants you to change medications.

Whatever change you may be facing, it's important to consider whether you could be resisting God's will and setting yourself up for further difficulty.

The consequences of resisting change

When God desires a certain change to occur in our lives, resistance could lead to painful consequences.

For years, Marla, a former corrections officer, felt the need to change careers. Despite a hostile work environment where low morals, danger and illegal activities were a daily threat to her safety, security and Christian values, Marla resisted the idea of leaving her job. "I had worked in corrections for more than 20 years," she explains. "I was comfortable and had a stable income. I wasn't about to give that up." But God had other plans.

An inmate attacked Marla from behind, leaving her permanently disabled. Her disability and chronic pain thereafter kept her from being able to perform the physical duties of her job. She was forced to leave, and she went through several years of searching for a job that she was physically suited to do and eventually needed some training for a new career. She quickly found herself suffering financially, something that could have been avoided had she heeded the call to move on earlier.

Eventually her disability led her to a rewarding career working with disabled veterans, but not without having traveled a difficult journey for several years of pain and suffering and financial loss.

Perhaps you've been offered a promotion but are afraid of the new responsibilities. By turning down the promotion, will you deprive yourself of higher pay and improved status? Maybe someone has broken up with you, but you've been clinging to that person, trying to convince him or her to stay with you. By doing so, are you keeping yourself from loving yourself as God loves you and perhaps missing out on meeting the right person?

If the Lord has been asking you to make a change, but this prospect doesn't sit well with you because of a fear of the unfamiliar, a change in status or any other reason, you don't have to allow yourself to experience the negative consequences of resistance. You can make the change and still remain comfortable.

Coping with change

Change is a lot easier to deal with when we realize that we can't control it. It's when we try to manipulate our environment to fit comfortably within our box that we become anxious and frustrated. By realizing and accepting that certain changes are beyond our control, we allow ourselves the flexibility required to make ourselves more adaptable, thus more comfortable in our new environment.

Have you ever watched a child walk into the classroom on the first day of kindergarten? More than likely, the child is afraid. A strange new environment with new people and she's expected to spend the whole day there? That's frightening for a child. But after a few moments of taking in the new scenery, the child begins to accept her surroundings, hesitantly allowing herself to join the other children in their classroom activities. By the end of the day, she goes bouncing home, ready to tell her parents all about her day. What happened within that child to cause her to overcome her initial angst and eventually enjoy her day?

Perhaps such a child had thrown a temper tantrum all the way to school, desperately trying to manipulate his parents into allowing him to stay home. He may have even thrown a fit inside the school. Many times, teachers will encourage parents to go ahead and leave the child. They know that, with the parents' presence, a child will continue to try to manipulate the circumstances. Not until the parents leave does the child realize that he has no control and no choice but to accept his circumstances.

Some children have a much more difficult time adapting. In this case, it's up to the teacher to comfort the child, gently leading him into an activity or kindly introducing him to one of his peers. Relinquishing control helps one adapt - whether the person facing change is an adult or a child.

If you've been struggling with change and simply can't seem to adapt, you have One you can turn to for comfort. The Lord is there for you and wants to provide a way for you to experience his comfort during times of change.

Accepting change often requires an adjustment of attitude. Are you angry about the change? Pray - take up the issue with God. Ask him to show you what he wants you to gain from it. Are you afraid of the change? Trust that it is a part of God's plan for your life. When God brings changes, you can be assured that they will benefit you in some way. The apostle Paul said, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

When change comes knocking at your door, how will you respond to it? You have a choice. You can become uptight and rigid, unwilling to accept any adjustments to the environment in your comfortable box, thus setting yourself up for additional anxiety and distress - and perhaps even pain or missed opportunities. Or you can respond to it by relinquishing control, trusting God, allowing yourself the freedom to conform to his will and, yes, remain comfortable despite the change.