Resistance!

How God can use work to disclose himself. I began my day as usual reading emails and organizing them according to priority.  The next several emails were quick answers and then I came upon this one from ProjectManager.com.  As I was reading this, I could hear the stillness of the voice of God. Reminding me how this is so much like the growth of a Christian or the fears of those who do not believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.  I have inserted in blue the reasons why the words of this work email stirred my heart.

I began my day, as usual, reading emails and organizing them according to priority.  The next several emails were quick answers; and then I came upon this one from ProjectManager.com.  As I was reading this, I could hear the stillness of the voice of God, reminding me how this is so much like the growth of a Christian or the fears of those who do not believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.  I have inserted in blue the reasons why the words of this work email stirred my heart.

Hi. I’m Susanne Madsen. Welcome to this whiteboard session How to Overcome Resistance to Change.

Resistance to change is a term that we tend to label people with when they are not willing to adapt to a new change or accept it. But oftentimes it’s not the change itself the people resist. They resist because they’re fearful they might lose something *** or that they would be no good at coping with the new state.

***Matthew 26:41 

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Let’s look at how we can help people to overcome those fears. The first step is to listen to people’s fears ***and concerns. Because this is an emotional thing, we’ve got to engage at that level. Listen to what people believe is going to happen. What are they afraid of? Empathize and try to see it from their point of view.

*** Exodus 20:20 

“And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

We also have to provide clarity and certainty. If you can give any guarantees at all that will make people calm down, do so. *** Also provide clarity about what will happen and what won’t happen. Some people are afraid because they create doom day scenarios and their minds run loose, but that’s because they don’t actually know what’s going to happen. You can help them provide that clarity by giving them more information about the change.

*** John 3:36 

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Psalms 9:17 

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

Next, demonstrate what’s in it for each person. ***For sure, I’m going to be more pro a change if I understand that there are benefits for me. Put yourself in the other person’s situation and look at all of the ways in which this person would benefit, and convey that to them. There’s always two sides to the story.

***Matthew 19:16 

“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

Mark 3:29 

“But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:”

You also have to make the status quo less appealing. *** If you want people to shift from a current state, the status quo, to a future state, you’ve got to make the status quo less appealing, and demonstrate that there are consequences if we don’t change. Maybe we are going to fall behind competition. In change management terms, we talk about creating a bit of a burning platform. Don’t create too much of a burning platform because that may just make people even more fearful, and that’s what you don’t want.

***Revelation 20:15 

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Making people part of the *** story is another powerful way to make people overcome their fear of change. That means that you can draw people into it. Give them a role to play. You see, if you change something and I’m not part of it, I can criticize you and say well it’s just being done to me, and I can play the victim. But if I’m drawn into the story, if I have a role to play, then it’s much more likely that I’m going to be feeling positive towards this change.

Read the story of Esther

Lastly, slow down, *** because change can be emotional. It takes time to adapt to it and digest this emotional change. By slowing down the rate of change there’s a higher degree that people will be pro the change.

*** I Corinthians 3:

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Thank you for watching. Please visit us again at ProjectManager.com.

Are you resisting to believe or are you resisting to grow in your Christian walk?  Whatever the case may be,  may you lean not unto your own understanding and search the living word of God.