The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with a statement that we still believe today: “The only constant in life is change.”
Leaders often lecture on “embracing change” or being “change agents” in an organization. But the reality is that most people — employees and leaders alike — hate change. We value stability and predictability.
Subscribe to The Alabama Baptist today!
SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.
Perhaps this is why over 70% of all change initiatives fail. And because we have such difficulty measuring change, over 50% of leaders don’t know whether organizational changes they initiate have succeeded. Change creates volatility, uncertainty, instability, stress, pressure, conflict and motivational issues. Yet any leader will tell you that we must not only be willing to change, but also be able to lead change and readily adapt to it.
The Apostle Paul was especially good at adapting to change and taught New Testament believers the importance of this facet of leadership.
He wrote to the church at Ephesus, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22–24).
True change
Here Paul is connecting true change in a person to their surrender to Christ. As a Christ-follower they are a new creation, personally and spiritually. Indeed, coming to faith in Christ is a catalyst for embracing and accepting change, because Christ is the One doing the changing.
What about other changes we encounter that don’t involve spiritual rebirth? In Scripture we also find teaching on how to view and move through change that is hard for us to accept, process and eventually embrace.
Here again, Paul gives us a template for adapting to change. To the church at Philippi, he writes, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14).
Breaking down these verses, consider first Paul’s focus. He writes, “but this one thing I do … .” There’s a difference between “letting change happen to us,” and what Paul suggests, which is an intentional and thoughtful process to move from one way of doing things to another — or one place to another, or one role to another.
One reason change can be so damaging is that to avoid it we’ll avoid it and hope for the best. But the “hands-off” approach keeps us from influencing the change and adjusting well to it.
Instead follow Paul’s teaching and focus on it:
- Let go — “forgetting those things which are behind.”
Change often forces us to release whatever value or significance we have placed in the past. It’s impossible to reach a new destination by looking in the rearview mirror.
- Look out — “reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
When we look ahead, we’re initially looking for reassurance that the destination ahead is worth it. To find that reassurance, we must have a keen eye looking out to the horizon, which means we are focused on not only what will be, but what can be.
Looking ahead
Change is an opportunity to uncover new possibilities — positive elements to life and leadership we would have never experienced if things had stayed the way they were. A new job teaches new skills. A new neighborhood gives new friendships. A new policy means a new opportunity to connect with and serve a customer. We won’t realize these possibilities of change until we stop looking back and start looking out.
- Dig in — “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Paul doesn’t forget his overriding purpose in the midst of change. It doesn’t matter what happened before, or what is going to happen in the future. His mark hasn’t changed — he continually puts his path through life in the context of what Christ is going to do through him.
So, whether the change is good or bad, positive or negative, bright or dim, a step forward or a step back, Paul digs in. He keeps doing the main thing, which is living a life dedicated to Christ. For us, we do this in all facets, at home and at work.
When we adapt to change, we are determining the best expression of ourselves going forward. And as Paul did, we press on toward Christlikeness.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This article was written by Eugene Mason of Leadership Ministries Minute and first appeared on LinkedIn. It is reprinted with permission.
Share with others: