If tradition is what builds nations, change is what moves them. It pushes us forward, develops us. But it also petrifies us (and by us, I mean me). It’s terrifying because it forces us to give up what we consider normal, safe, secure, for something that is different. And “different” is a scary word. Different is weird, unusual, uncomfortable. Words that don’t usually imply fun.

Fact: plans don’t always work out. And change happens, no matter how much you try to avoid it. Plans, knowing the future (or at least, what to expect in the future): that’s my security blanket. I’m a micromanager. It’s a problem, I know. Change is the stuff of nightmares for me. I dread it. I get anxious and nervous and I overanalyze. It’s a daily struggle to let things happen and go with the flow.

But as much as I don’t like change, I have peace with it. When I moved to college two years ago, it felt like everything that was normal in my life got left behind for new and scary. It was terrifying. And wonderful. It wasn’t wonderful because of anything I did. It certainly wasn’t wonderful because I was in control—because I wasn’t. I had peace in the change because I trusted something—someone—greater than I. I trusted (and still do) God with the change because I knew it was where he was leading me.

Now, that doesn’t mean that every change in my life is peaceful. Certainly not. But because I trust God and I am pursuing him, I know that whatever changes, big or small, what I face will be for his glory and my good. That’s not an easy thing. If you had asked me a month ago what my plans for the next year are, I would tell you something drastically different than what they are now. In the past few weeks, I’ve come to realize that I need to graduate sooner than I thought (because I literally will run out of classes to take in my major and minor in August). And because of that, I have realized that I am going to have to face the scary world of adulthood—like full time job and regular bills—a lot sooner than I had originally planned for. So goodbye plans, hello change. And you know what? I’m okay. A little overwhelmed, sure, but I have peace.

Sometimes God’s definition of what is for our good is not the same as ours. It will probably involve a lot of things the world would not consider “fun.” It will probably involve change. And it will probably involve tears, too. But it will also involve peace. Because I trust in my God and not the world. I trust his plans, not mine. My plans are superficial and flawed, his are eternal and perfect. So, sure, change is terrifying. But that’s okay, because when you have peace in an overwhelmingly loving God, a little terrifying change is not so bad.