“Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who doesn’t change like shifting shadows” James 1:17 (NIV)
This weekend I’ll be speaking to a group of women in Wisconsin on James 1:17. The verse couldn’t be more beautiful and twinkly for a Christmas tea celebrating the Father of heavenly lights and all good gifts.
But the verse also talks about a Father who doesn’t change like shifting shadows. Are things changing around you like shifting shadows? When change happens in your life, how do you respond?
Some people embrace change but a lot of people resist it. Change includes unknowns, bringing fear, anxiety and doubt. We even doubt God. When change doesn’t feel good, it’s hard to accept the circumstances as a good gift. It’s hard to believe that the gift-Giver is good.
Does your perception of God change depending on what you’re going through? When life is good, is God good, but when life is bad, then God is bad?
I’m thankful God’s word declares that He doesn’t change like shifting shadows. God’s character doesn’t change 
depending on our circumstances.
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Psalm 145:8 (NIV)
Our perceptions and feelings about God will lie to us. Knowing God’s character by His power and presence in our lives is evidence of the unchanging qualities of His character. When my world came crashing down a few years ago, the one truth I knew was that God’s character was still good. It’s what I clung to in the moment when everything else screamed He couldn’t be good.
“God’s still the same” I told myself.
As I’ve prepared to speak on Saturday, I asked my Twitter and Facebook communities to list God’s qualities they are thankful for. The response was overwhelming. This is the list of God’s character traits from people across the globe.
God is:
Omniscient
Sovereign
Unchanging
Full of Grace
Constant
a God of Everlasting Love
Merciful
a God of Peace
Forgiving
a God of Glory and Majesty
Persevering
Omnipresent
a Provider
Omnipotent
Compassionate
Jealous
Faithful
Strong & Courageous
Available
Steadfast
Behind and Before (He’s got our back!)
a Strong Tower
a Redeemer
a Promise Keeper
Faithful
Truth
a Father
Patient
Slow to anger
Gracious
People and circumstances will fail you, but God, His word, and His character never will. It’s the one thing you can count on in a world that changes like shifting shadows. When you stand on God’s character, the greatest gift you receive is peace in the circumstances. That’s why He’s the giver of all good gifts, because the greatest gift He’s given us is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died and rose again so we can rest in His peace and character when life changes around us.
If you need peace this holiday because of changes in your life, will you lean into and hold on to the One who doesn’t change? Ask Him to reveal His character that you need for your situation. Then hold onto that truth and receive His peace that passes all understanding (Phil 4:6)
Where do you need to see God’s character in your circumstances? How do you respond to change?
If you are led, will you pray for the event Saturday morning at 11:30 CST? Will you pray that women will receive Jesus as their gift of peace and receive hope and strength from God’s character. Also, I’d love to share this message with your women’s or church group! If you need a speaker for an upcoming event, contact me for this or other speaking topics at brenda@brendayoder.com or click the tab at the top of the page!
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