Change is difficult for humans, from the moment we are
expelled from the comfort and warmth of our mother’s womb. Because it is the fate
of most of us to grow up and grow old, life is always changing, whether we like
it or not. Change that we are ready for and desire is often exciting, but we
have reached a point in human evolution where change seems to be happening
faster than we can process it, leaving us overstimulated, anxious, and
fatigued.
I believe God designed the earth to be cyclic to soothe us in
such times of anxiety. It is encoded in our DNA to hunker down in winter, plant
in the spring, enjoy growth in the summer, and harvest in the fall. Yes,
climate patterns are changing, but the seasons are still with us, the sun rises
and sets each day, and the moon continues to move through its monthly phases. Taking
a cue from the earth, we design our holidays and rituals to provide stability
and comfort through their cyclic nature; we know to expect fireworks on the
Fourth of July and It’s A Wonderful Life
to appear on TV in December.
Furthermore, even though God is always making things new, we
have learned through the ages that God also has some never-changing qualities that
we can count on: mercy, lovingkindness, compassion, forgiveness, and intimate knowledge
of who we are at our core. Psalm 142 says, “When my spirit was overwhelmed
within me, then you knew my path.” When we become still and in sync with the
rhythms of the earth, we know our path too; it is the one that winds through
the heart of God.
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