01/17/2026
Our place isn’t something we protect or defend.
It’s a relationship we remain in.
Today’s Shaped by Faith column invites us to stay rooted in Christ when seasons shift and roles change.
Holding Your Place in Christ
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him.” (Psalm 24:1 NLT)
That verse has a way of putting everything into perspective. Not some things. Not most things. Everything belongs to the Lord.
Yet if we are honest, we live in a world where people often hold tightly to what feels familiar and comfortable. A certain seat at church. My favorite spot in a fitness class. A preferred routine. Even roles, ministries, and responsibilities we have carried for years can begin to feel like something we own instead of something we have been entrusted with.
Recently, I read about a tragic incident involving an argument over a parking space that ended in the loss of life. It was heartbreaking, not only because of the senseless violence, but because it revealed how tightly we can grip things that were never meant to define us or belong to us in the first place.
It caused me to pause and ask a deeper question. Are we more concerned about holding our spot in life than holding our place in Christ?
Jesus spoke often about where our true security is found. He said, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me” (John 15:4, NLT). Jesus did not call us to protect positions or claim territory. He called us to abide. To stay connected. To live from Him.
The apostle Paul echoed this truth when he encouraged believers to focus less on changing external circumstances and more on faithful obedience. “Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you and remain faithful to God” (1 Corinthians 7:17, NLT). This was not a call to stagnation, but to rootedness. Faithfulness is not about refusing change. It is about trusting God wherever He has planted you.
Over the years, the Lord has gently reminded me that I do not own the things most precious to me. Shaped by Faith is not mine; it belongs to God. I am simply called to steward it, to care for it, and to walk obediently with it for as long as He allows. Humbly, not pridefully. In a similar yet distinctly different way, my children and grandchildren are gifts from God, entrusted to me for a season, but ultimately to be shaped and molded, for and by, His hands.
James reminds us, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father” (James 1:17, NLT). When we see life through the lens of stewardship instead of ownership, something shifts inside us. Our grip loosens. Our hearts soften. Gratitude replaces entitlement.
This principle applies to every area of life. Our churches. Our ministries. Our families. Our callings. Even our routines. When we believe something is ours to control, we defend it fiercely. When we recognize it as God’s, we hold it humbly.
There is also a powerful connection to physical fitness. Strength is not built by clinging tightly or refusing to adjust. It is built by showing up consistently, maintaining proper form, and allowing growth to happen over time. In the same way, spiritual growth comes not from clinging to comfort, but from staying connected to Christ and allowing Him to do the renewing work within us.
Paul wrote, “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day” (2 Corinthians 4:16, NLT). God works from the inside out. True transformation does not require a new seat, a new title, or a new season. It requires a renewed heart.
So, what if someone takes our usual place? What if a season shifts or a role changes? If our place is in Christ, nothing of eternal value has been lost. Scripture reminds us, “Trust 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” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT).
Our true place is not something we claim or defend. It is a relationship we remain in. Jesus calls us to stay rooted, to abide, and to allow Him to produce fruit that lasts. When our lives are anchored in Christ, we are no longer shaped by habits, routines, or comfort, but by faith.
Seats may change. Seasons may shift. Assignments may look different than they once did. But when we stay rooted in Christ, He continues to shape us from the inside out, strengthening our spirit, renewing our minds, and guiding our steps. That is a place no one can take, and no circumstance can shake.
