In the early 1900’s Enterprise, Alabama had a huge problem. The boll weevil had infested the state devastating the cotton crops. Alabama’s economy was almost entirely based in agriculture, with cotton being the primary cash crop, when the boll weevil arrived. Losses during the initial years of infestation reached 60 to 75 percent. Some farmers in Enterprise tried something different. They began planting peanuts. Afterwards the town soon became the world’s largest producers of peanuts. This would have never happened had they not been forced to change. The town ended up having a statute made to honor the boll weevil, for without it they may have never tried something different.
I know that we all reach times of transition. Israel faced times of transition. Joseph would transition many times in his life. From a loved son and hated brother. To slave, to prisoner, to second in the kingdom, to the one that would save many people. Jacob moved his family to Egypt during the famine. This was a time of transition, they left all they knew to move to an entirely different place. Then around 400 years later Israel went through a great transition again. They were in slavery and moving to a life of freedom, but that doesn’t mean that it was easy. You see they were still leaving everything that they had ever known. Even though what they knew wasn’t a good situation it was still what they knew. You see this in the wilderness. When they ran into trouble and they responded that they wished they were back in Egypt. Most of us are dumbfounded by this. Why would you want to go back into slavery? Because it’s what they knew.
Nobody likes change. We like everything to stay the same. We tend to see most change in a negative way. We throughout our lives though will find ourselves in different places of transition. It may be a job, relationship, where we live, etc. All of these can be stressful. Especially if they happen without our choosing. Joseph went to Egypt without his choosing. In these times it’s important to remember that God will not forsake us. Though the situations may have taken us by surprise, God isn’t surprised. He declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).
Remember change, even though scary, doesn’t mean the end. Sometimes change is the new beginning to something wonderful. So embrace the change and trust God.
Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Hebrews 13:6 KJV So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.