I really don’t care for New Year’s Eve.

There is no easy way to say that without sounding like a real downer.

If New Year’s Eve could be celebrated around 7 p.m. maybe I would find it enjoyable.  I don’t remember the last time I willingly saw midnight.  Unless it involves a sick child, a hospital visit, or traveling home from a long vacation to go back to the grind, my personal feeling is that there is no reason to be upright at that hour.

Maybe there is another reason: those dreaded resolutions.

What could possibly be enjoyable about changing? I’m one of those people who go kicking and screaming into change.  This probably sounds strange coming from someone who went into social work and life coaching to help people do nothing but change.   Helping other people change is fun and fulfilling.

But I like consistency, comfort, and sameness.  Maybe you’re like me. There is something wonderful about it.  It makes that ole’ control–freak nature I battle on a daily basis remain at peace with very little effort.

I realize some of you love a life filled with adventure and spontaneity.  I don’t understand you, but I appreciate you, respect you, and every once in a while, I envy how easy it is for you to embrace change.

That being said, I have to confess that I have no trouble letting go of 2015. There was too much unexpected change and I saw myself doing more kicking and screaming, and not enough changing.

I’m hoping that 2016 will go a little easier.

Despite my personal issues with New Year’s resolutions, one thing life has taught me is that change doesn’t hurt forever and it’s a necessary part of life so we can grow up and figure out what is really important in life.

I’ve spent almost half of my life serving people in ministry and I’ve learned that if you are ever going to do anything to get out of your pits of comfort, dysfunction, or despair, you have to stop digging and see your need for change.

Change is that “AHA” moment when you realize how silly it is to keep doing something simply because it is comfortable for our comforts simply keep us imprisoned from living out dreams.

I think the secret to embracing change is making sure the bedrock of our identity and core beliefs is grounded in something that is unchanging.

Or in this case, Someone.

In fact, the only One who is changeless is God.  Perhaps the best way for us to deal with the change that life thrusts upon us is to place our confidence and hope in something that is not changing.  The Scriptures call Him names like immutable; unchangeable; changeless.  Words like this flood my mind and my control-freaked heart finds peace again.

When something is perfect, why would it ever need to change and be anything but perfect?

That doesn’t mean He is dull.  On the contrary, He created this vast universe teeming with creation unlike anything we could ever dream up or imagine and then filled our hearts and minds with a thirst for knowledge to pursue and explore it.

Perhaps just as He holds this universe together, He can hold us together.

As we step into our new year maybe a little battered and bruised from 2015, we can find a Rock to stand on when the sand all around us seems to be shifting or giving way.

He won’t leave us when the world feels out of control.

He will still love us when we stumble trying to make sense of it all.

He is committed to not only our growth with this thing called change, but also our good, no matter how overwhelming everything may feel.

He calls us out of the boat of comfort so we can learn the joy of walking on water and who would ever want to live with the reality of missing that?

He comes alongside us in our pit and asks us to hand over the shovel so we can become who we were made to be–so far from perfect–yet more and more like His Son.

So lay yourself open to whatever God desires to change in 2016.  Take a risk in faith that He knows better than you what change you can handle.  Refuse to let those past struggles in 2015 cause you to settle and impair the future God has called you to.  Whatever you feel about change, let it never keep you from stepping out onto the water and tasting the life He made just for you.

And by all means, whatever your issues with New Year’s Eve, find the freedom to go to bed whenever you want.   I know I will.

Happy New Year and may God make 2016 your best year yet.