Who Moved My Cheese?
Bob Loudermilk
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." — 2 Corinthians 5:17
In 1998, a book came out that was instantly a bestseller. The book, written by Spencer Johnson, is called, Who Moved My Cheese?
It is a book about change. The author tells a parable to teach lessons about how much life changes and how we react to those changes.
The main characters in the book are two mice and two little-people. As the parable goes, all four of them live and work in a maze. Every day consists of following a routine that gets them to the "Cheese Station C" to get their cheese.
The mice begin searching. One of the little people, Hem, stays where he is, angry that things have changed. Haw is frightened too, but eventually he steps into the maze to look for what lies ahead.
Most of us know what it feels like to stand where the cheese used to be. A job ends. A relationship changes. Our health limits what we once did easily. A plan we counted on no longer seems possible. We may find ourselves asking, "Why did this happen? When will things go back to the way they were?"
The Bible does not ask us to pretend that change is easy. When Moses died, Joshua faced the loss of the leader he had followed for years. God acknowledged that loss plainly: “Moses my servant is dead.” Then came the call: “Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan” (Joshua 1:2). Joshua could grieve what had ended and still trust God enough to take the next step.
Some changes happen to us. Others are changes God calls us to make. We may need to leave behind a habit that is harming us, seek forgiveness, or let go of a way of life we know is drawing us away from Him. Repentance means turning toward God, even when the familiar path feels easier.
And then there is the change only Christ can bring. Paul writes that anyone in Christ is “a new creation.” That is far more than finding a new source of happiness when an old one disappears. Through Christ, God reconciles us to Himself. He gives us a new life and continues shaping us to reflect His glory (2 Corinthians 3:18; 5:17–20).
Perhaps you are facing a change you never wanted. You do not have to know the whole route through the maze. Bring your grief, fear, and questions to the Lord. Ask Him for the courage to take the next faithful step.
Or perhaps you know exactly what needs to change, but you have been standing still. God’s mercy invites you to turn to Him now.
The cheese may move. Circumstances may change overnight. But the promise of new life in Christ is deeper than any change around us. He meets us where we are, walks with us through what lies ahead, and keeps making us new.
What change are you facing this week?
What might your next faithful step be?
