Surviving Change

I recently read something interesting about the Golden Gate Bridge. It is built in such a way that it can sway some twenty feet at the center of its one-mile span. The secret to its survival is its flexibility that enables this sway, but that isn’t the only factor. It is designed so that every part of the bridge -- the concrete roadway, the steel railings, and cross beams are all secured in a vast cable system to two great towers and two great land anchor piers. Most of the weight of the bridge is supported by the towers, which are deeply imbedded into the bedrock foundation beneath the sea. This is the secret to its durability-- flexibility and foundation.

Those same two qualities are just as important for people as they are for bridges. Your ability to deal with the winds of change in today’s world will depend on your flexibility and your foundation.

Never before has a generation had to deal with sweeping change to the degree that we must. Job security is a thing of the past. Today’s cutting edge technology is tomorrow’s obsolesce. What was relevant yesterday is outdated today. Survival in this fast-paced world requires flexibility.

It is just as important, however, that your life be anchored to the firm, unchanging foundation of God’s Word. A life that is not supported by the foundation of God’s spiritual laws will be shattered in time by the winds of change that are blowing. Like a refiner’s fire, the winds of change will test every foundation. Through the prophet Isaiah God spoke of His Son when He said, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. (Isa. 28:16) The foundation of Jesus Christ and God’s Holy Word will never be outmoded.

As you stay connected to your foundation through Bible study and prayer, the Holy Spirit will help you discern when to flex and when to stand firm. Have you spent time with Him today?