Unchanging God

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: ROMANS 8:18-39; HEBREWS 13:1-21

There is pouring rain outside my window as I type. November in Michigan—you never know what weather you’ll get. On November 1st, I was bundled in winter gear, trudging through the woods in around eight inches of snow. The trees were heavy with sparkling beauty. November 6th, I was walking the shores of Lake Michigan, picking up seashells as the sun warmed my bare shoulders.

As I watched the waves roll and foam, I considered the unpredictability of Michigan weather and how God is the polar opposite. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” In a world that is ever-changing, from the latest fad to our individual lives, it’s so comforting to know that Jesus is unchanging.

What kinds of changes are you currently going through? Perhaps your family is moving, or a new friendship is beginning, or you’re grieving the loss of a loved one. Maybe your parents decided to homeschool you, or you’re battling some physical ailment, or you lost your job.

In every season of our lives, we all face changes—some are welcome, some are difficult, and sometimes we don’t even know how to classify the changes. But once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can be confident that He will work out everything for His glory and our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Through everything we face, Jesus is with us, and we have the opportunity to become more like Him (verse 29). We can wait patiently with hope because we know that God is for us, and no evidence of that is greater than Him sending His own Son to die for us (verse 25, 31-32). No change will be able to separate us from His love (verse 35-39).

So no matter the changes we face, good or bad, we can cling to the promise that God “does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). We can ask Him to fill our hearts with reminders of the times He’s been faithful through changes in the past. Because even in the midst of change, God says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). • Savannah Coleman

• How do you feel about change? Do you embrace change, or do you tend to shy away from it? Why do you think that is?

• Can you think of a time you experienced God’s faithfulness during a time of change? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

“I the Lord do not change.” Malachi 3:6 (NIV)