How to Find Stability in an Unstable World

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How to Find Stability in an Unstable World

“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen” (Jude 24-25).

Daily life ebbs and flows to ever-changing adaptations. The definition of change is to make something or someone different, or replace something with something else. Though we tend to be resistant to change, it’s inevitable. But it isn’t just the circumstances of society which require us to change. Scripture promises we are changing daily in our pursuit of Christ, becoming more like Him every step of the way.

Knowing who God is helps us embrace change. He is the same now as He was from the beginning and will be for all time. Faith in our unchanging God allows us to submit our agendas to His will for our lives. His plans for us are purposeful, and good. Though we are promised hard seasons and suffering on this earth, our trust as believers in Christ Jesus lies in the hands of our unchanging God.

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The Root of Stability

Man building an uneven tower of blocks

Stability is continuance without change; permanence. God’s Word is stable. Scripture and prayer are powerful weapons when brandished by the righteous. Jude wrote, “God is able to keep us from falling away and will bring us with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault” (Jude 1:24). Though it’s hard to focus on this truth when daily life has exhausted us, the Holy Spirit is faithful and willing to strengthen and remind us of it!

“All glory to Him who alone is God,” Jude wrote, “our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Our lives were meant to bring glory to Him, through Christ. Taking the focus off of ourselves allows us to see with godly perspective His next steps for our daily lives. Christ Jesus is our stability in the storm. The Living Word of God, He is always with us.

Change is less overwhelming when we know we are moving in tandem with God’s will for our lives. The world may seem out of control, but He still remains sovereign over His Creation, including our lives. We are set in our generations, communities, churches, and families purposefully.

Jude finished his letter: “All glory, majesty, power and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.” We do not serve a God without a plan, nor do we live in a world spinning out of control. God is sovereign, omnipotent, and omniscient now, as He has always been.

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The Word of God

Open Bible outside

“As the Scriptures say, ‘People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And that word is the Good News that was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:24-25).

Jude wrote his letter to remind the early church, amidst all the change, that the One they rooted their faith in remained the same. Today, as we pick up the Bible, we can be sure it has the same relevance and value to our everyday lives as it did before all of the letters and books were organized into the book we carry with us today. “The word of the Lord remains forever,” Peter wrote. The Lord is patient, allowing time for every ear to hear the Good News, before Christ Jesus returns. Whether we are on the listening end or the sharing end, there is work to be done.

Verses about the Stability of God’s Word

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:11).

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

“Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17).

“Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).

“Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didnt think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12).

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The Character of God

Three crosses under a ray of light

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come” (Revelation 4:8b).

God’s character doesn’t change. Holy means most holy thing, in the context of John’s verse in Revelation. Its word origin comes from the Greek word hagnos, which means exciting reverence, venerable, sacred, and pure; and the word thalpo, which means to warm or keep warm; to cherish with tender love, to foster with tender care. Holy is the Lord.

John repeated it three times, a signal used throughout Scripture to pay particular attention. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty. No matter what state we find ourselves in, which generation we have been set in, or where the world seems to be headed, one thing is sure: “the One who always was, Who is, and Who is to come,” remains the same.

Verses about the Unchanging Character of God

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

"Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

“I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations” (Numbers 23:19).

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command — be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:8-9).

“But the Lords plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance. The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race” (Psalm 33:11-13).

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow” (James 1:17).

“The Lord isnt really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9).

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The Promises of God

man looking up at night sky stars

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

The promises of God are real. We can look to the future without doubting the promises He has yet to answer will be fully fulfilled. Jesus’ birth, life and death on earth completed multiple Biblical prophecies. God has never made a promise He did not keep. We can trust the stability of the promises of God. He does not make plans which are unreachable, or able to be thwarted. The will of God will be done, in our lives and in the world.

Verses about the Promises of God

“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm” (Exodus 14:14).

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8).

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls’” (Matthew 11:28-29).

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28).

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The Prayers of the Righteous

Ground shot of a group of people with hands held in prayer

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16).

Righteous people are those who are earnestly seeking the Lord, following Christ Jesus and submitting to the Lord’s authority over their lives. The Lord knows our hearts. He hears our prayers and is moved by them. God is relational. We have the ability to communicate with Him through prayer, and the powerful truth about who He is ensure that He always hears, always answers, and always has compassion on us. He does not change. Our stability is found in Him, alone. He is our Rock, our Sun and Shield. Let us be reminded today, and all the days to follow, how ready to listen and answer our Heavenly Father is.

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Meg BucherMeg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ at megbucher.comShe is the author of “Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ,” “Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity,” “Glory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise,” “Home, Finding Our Identity in Christ,” and "Sent, Faith in Motion." Meg earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay home and raise her two daughters …which led her to pursue her writing passion. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. Meg loves being involved in her community and local church, leads Bible study, and serves as a youth leader for teen girls.