Question 1

How do I best adapt to change?

Accepted Answer

Ecclesiastes 3:11Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.Daniel 2:21He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.Matthew 24:32-33“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.”Acts 1:7He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.”Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.It is wise to adapt to the cycles of change. When we recognize life’s seasons, we will be more equipped to adapt to them. But in adapting to change, we must not compromise the changeless truths in life. Though our God orchestrates many changes in our world, our lives, and our hearts, he himself remains the same.Romans 5:3-5We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.James 1:2-4Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.Times of trouble, which lead to the testing of our faith and the increasing of our endurance, help to strengthen our character, deepen our relationship with God, and prepare us for whatever the future holds. Instead of giving up in times of change and challenge, we can seek to grow.Proverbs 19:2Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.Proverbs 25:8Don’t be in a hurry to go to court. For what will you do in the end if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat?1 Timothy 5:22Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.Wise people are knowledgeable and deliberate regarding options. Don’t race your lifestyle into high speed when your brain is still in neutral. You will not adapt well to circumstances around you.Jonah 1:1-3; 3:1-3The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh.” . . . But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. . . . Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.We are to adapt with obedience regardless of our personal opinions. The best way to adapt to change is to adapt to the Author of all change. When God wants us to change, we can be confident in our best interests, because he knows and wants what is best for us.Genesis 12:1, 4The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.” . . . So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed.Psalm 119:105Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.Hebrews 11:8It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.James 4:13-15Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”We don’t need to know all the details of God’s plan for us in order to adapt to it. Full knowledge of all of the details is not a necessity for obedience. Sometimes, adapting to God’s way means stepping forward in faith. Just as a lantern lights the path enough for us to take the next step, God provides us the direction we need to take our next step in following him. We may not know where each step is leading, but we don’t have to—he knows, and we can trust his leading.Exodus 14:15-16Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.”Sometimes we must adapt quickly. There are times to stop and pray and times to pray on the run.Job 12:12Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.Psalm 71:18Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.Psalm 92:14-15Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”2 Corinthians 4:16That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.2 Corinthians 5:2-5We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.Titus 2:2-3Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.Having an eternal perspective toward our physical changes helps us to adapt to the aging process. Though our bodies may fade and weaken, we are also given new opportunities to adapt and contribute. The maturity, wisdom, and experience we have gained over the years gives us something valuable to pass on to the next generation. Rather than dwelling on the pains and frustrations of aging, we can accept aging as part of earth’s graduation ceremony.1 Corinthians 10:1I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground.Philippians 4:6-7Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.God has brought each of us through change before, and he promises to do so again. Sometimes he uses “time honored” methods to take us through change. Other times he uses radically innovative ways, including miracles, to help us through radically challenging change.

Question 2

How do I adapt to God’s way of living?

Accepted Answer

John 13:15“I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”Colossians 1:15Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.Jesus’ life serves as our example of adapting to God’s way.John 14:26“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”Romans 2:29No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.Romans 5:5This hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.Romans 8:5, 14-16Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. . . . For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.God’s Holy Spirit changes our hearts, renews our minds, reminds us of God’s truth, and leads us in his love. Through the Holy Spirit, we continue to grow more like our heavenly Father.1 Thessalonians 2:13Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.Reading and studying the Bible is one of the ways God prepares us for whatever he has in store for us.Matthew 12:31-33“So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.”Matthew 26:39, 42, 44He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” . . . Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” . . . So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.2 Corinthians 12:8-10Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.1 Peter 5:7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.Like Jesus and Paul, we can pray to God about adapting to his will. Sometimes, his will may be difficult to accept. It may require discomfort, risk, or sacrifice. But as we learn to turn our fears and worries over to him, we will grow in our trust and love of him and he will give us the faith and courage to walk where he leads.Luke 1:17“He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”2 Timothy 2:25-26Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.God often uses others to prepare us for change. But don’t be surprised at the unlikely people he may choose to do the job.John 14:15“If you love me, obey my commandments.”Romans 6:1-2Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?1 Corinthians 6:9-11Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.1 Peter 1:14So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.Adapting to God’s way leads to a life of obedience.

Question 3

Why or when should I adapt?

Accepted Answer

Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.Adapting our thinking to align with the mind of God allows us to better understand God’s perfect will for us, even when his will is very different from what is “normal” in this world.Matthew 5:19“So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”Matthew 18:6-7“If you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.”1 Corinthians 9:20-23When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.Sensitivity to the situations of others is an effective tool for sharing Jesus. It is good to adapt to different kinds of people to build a connection with them. But we must be careful. We never win unbelievers to Jesus by adapting their sinful habits. Such behavior not only compromises our own walk with God, but it weakens and discredits the gospel message with our hypocrisy.

Question 4

What kinds of things should I be unwilling to adapt to?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 23:2You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.Ezekiel 11:12“And you will know that I am the Lord. For you have refused to obey my decrees and regulations; instead, you have copied the standards of the nations around you.”Ezekiel 20:32“You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen.”1 Corinthians 15:33Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”We should not adapt to those around us when they are not following God’s ways.2 Chronicles 30:7“Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision, as you yourselves can see.”Psalm 78:8Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.We should not adapt to the heritage, traditions, or behaviors of even our relatives or family if they are causing us to disobey God.John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”Acts 17:11The people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.Galatians 1:6-11I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning.2 Timothy 4:3-4A time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.2 Peter 2:1-3There were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.The message of Jesus Christ may be expressed in different ways to different audiences, but its truths are unchanging. “Adapting” the gospel to remove the parts that make it uncomfortable and challenging removes the gospel’s power—after all, the gospel is meant to challenge us and change us. Jesus called us to be his messengers, not his salespeople. He doesn’t need us to spin his message to make it more palatable. Like the Bereans, we are called to seek God’s word to us to understand that gospel, then share it just as we have received it. If we have truly experienced the conviction of God’s word in our minds, the work of his Spirit in our hearts, and the imprint of his love on our lives, we should be confident that God’s truth can stand on its own two feet.

Question 5

How can I keep from adapting to those things I want to, but shouldn’t?

Accepted Answer

Ephesians 4:14-15Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.John 10:2-5, 14“The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice. . . . I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.”Our focus should be on becoming more like Christ, adapting to what he wants for us, not what we want for ourselves. As we study and meditate on God’s Word, seek him in prayer, and learn to listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, we grow more familiar with our Good Shepherd. This familiarity teaches us to recognize his voice and discern what is true, for all truth comes from him.Proverbs 22:24-25Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.1 Corinthians 15:33Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”We should be aware of the company we keep and the influence others can have on us.Zechariah 1:4“Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’”Jonah 2:1-2, 10Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me! . . .” Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.Philippians 1:6I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.Even if we have made wrong turns in the past, God still desires a relationship with us today. He will set our feet on the right path and help us to adapt to that which is right and good.

Adapt/Adaptable