Change: Ordained, Difficult & Necessary

As we look ahead to a new year, one thing is guaranteed: change is coming. Every January, many of us make resolutions with the hope that something will be different—health, habits, priorities, direction. Yet even when we want change, we often struggle with it. So how do we handle change in a better, more faithful way?

As we close out one year and step into the next, Scripture invites us to wrestle with this truth: Change is ordained by God, difficult to walk through, and absolutely necessary.

Watch the full sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ATpunPSzuo

Listen to the sermon on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4zwZsTVKIuXWUrY5voXbOT?si=086d7125c6284da1

Learning from Hebrews 11

The book of Hebrews was written to remind believers that the new covenant in Christ is greater than the old—permanent where the old was temporary. In chapter 10, readers are urged not to shrink back, but to persevere in faith. Then, in chapter 11, we are given example after example of men and women who did persevere.

Among them, Moses stands out.

Hebrews 11:23–31 paints a picture of a life marked by constant, costly change. Moses goes from hidden infant, to prince of Egypt, to desert shepherd, to God’s chosen leader of Israel. He gives up comfort for suffering, security for obedience, and earthly wealth for eternal reward. Through Moses—and the Israelites—we see change layered upon change, all under the direction of God.

Change Is Ordained by God

When we say change is ordained by God, we mean it is decreed, appointed, and established by His authority.

From the very beginning of creation, God works through change. The earth was formless and empty—then God said, “Let there be light.” Living things appeared. Humanity fell. The flood came. Nations rose and fell. God called Abraham to leave home, Jacob became Israel, and Israel eventually found itself enslaved in Egypt.

By the time we reach Moses, God is actively preparing a leader through dramatic transitions—luxury to loneliness, palace to pasture, shepherding sheep to shepherding people. God establishes His law, His order, and His purpose through these changes.

Change did not catch God by surprise. He established it.

Change Is Difficult

Change is also undeniably hard.

Hebrews 11 reminds us that Noah was asked to build an ark before rain was ever seen. Abraham was told to leave without a map. Moses was sent back to Egypt—the very place he had fled—to confront Pharaoh and lead a stubborn, complaining people.

Obedience often leads us into uncomfortable, unfamiliar territory. Growth stretches us. Faith tests us. And following God rarely means choosing the easy path.

Change Is Necessary

Despite its difficulty, change is necessary for God’s plan to unfold.

Hebrews 11 flows directly into Hebrews 12, showing that God uses generations of faithful obedience—often without immediate results—to accomplish something bigger than any one life. God is still doing this today. We are part of His ongoing story.

The question is not whether change will come, but how we will respond to it.

Following God’s Plan Through Change

Scripture calls us to trust God even when we don’t understand the path ahead:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6)

Change is inevitable. Growth, however, is optional.

As we grow older, change can feel heavier. Loss reshapes holidays, traditions, and expectations. Yet even in grief and uncertainty, God is still at work. He sees the whole picture when we only see a fragment.

The Word of God never changes—His truth, His promises, and His character remain the same. But the ways we reach a lost world may look different in every generation. Even within the church, structure and strategy must adapt so growth can happen. Like a trellis supports a growing vine, wise structure helps God’s people remain unified as they grow.

Faith: The Key to Navigating Change

At the heart of every God-ordained change is faith.

“Now without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6)

When we place our faith in people, systems, or circumstances, we place it in things that will eventually fail. But when we trust the One who never changes, we find guidance even when the path feels unclear.

It’s like being lost in a maze until someone above it all—seeing the full picture—calls down directions. God sees what we cannot, and He is faithful to lead us through.

Running the Race with Endurance

Hebrews reminds us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses—men and women who followed God through change before us.

“Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus…” (Hebrews 12:1–2)

When the way feels uncertain, we are not alone. We have a Way Maker, a faithful guide, and a Savior who endured the cross for the joy set before Him.

Change may be difficult—but when it is guided by faith, it becomes a powerful tool in the hands of God.

Happy New Year, everyone!