Friday Fight 150: Our Unchanging God

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help me fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF150.

How often have we looked back over our lives and smiled while thinking of a past friendship? Some of us have friendships that have lasted years, while others are in a time of God birthing new relationships and cultivating community. Companionship can be lifelong or just part of a season. They may have a specific purpose or be removed for our benefit. You get it, but how can patterns of relationships and seasonal friendships impact our spiritual lives?

Our Unchanging God:

In writing this, I smile with gratitude for my valuable friendships and lasting relationships. For many of us, experiences and situations beyond our control contribute to the dynamics of the relational changes in our lives. This could include relocating, career moves, proximity changes, or even our own poor choices. I have watched best friends part ways, simple commitments last for years, and people reconnecting after decades of hurt; it is confusing at times.

So, what happens when we mistakenly apply the emotions of changing relationships to our connection with God? Some of us have become so accustomed to changes like this that we may oftentimes unknowingly anticipate it. Do we expect God to always be present or do we believe our relationship is seasonal like many others in our lives? In our assumptions, most friendships change to some degree, even if it's just the amount of time spent together. However, applying this erroneous mindset to our relationship with God can leave us open and vulnerable to the work of the evil one. Believing that God is anything like our friendships would mean at some point we feel unimportant. This mindset, coupled with painful experiences, leaves us believing that we are not as close to God as we once were. Maybe we are thinking, “It was nice while it lasted,” the same perspective we apply to friendships that have ended. Darkness will work to have us accept that God has moved onto someone more deserving, and our relationship, as we have known it, is either entirely over or very close to it, and there is nothing we can do about it. If we mistakenly believe that the Lord no longer needs us or we need Him, and there has been a change in plans on His part, our reliance on Him and the company we desire with Him diminishes.

If we look at Numbers 23:19 it says “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” NO! Our ability to be deceived by lies concerning God and His will leaves us vulnerable to every negative influence of darkness. We must remember that everything in our lives is subject to change except God. In the darkest night, in the loneliest cell, in the emptiness of certain places, in the depths of our deepest pain, God’s love for us and desire to fellowship with us is unwavering. God is always the same: yesterday, today, and forever. But God doesn’t change, and neither does His plan.

Let’s combat the raging battle with darkness’ deception, knowing that the winning prize is the souls of humanity. Be intentional about praying and cultivating a relationship with Him. Behold the beautiful joy in store for those who follow Him. Look up and see the lasting truth that God is with us all the days of this life and our eternal one to come. He is calling us to trust, rely on, walk with, and talk with Him daily in prayer and praise.

Pastor Shannon

New Life Calvert