When have difficult circumstances forced you to navigate life changes?
Sometimes, we have the option to change. Other times, change is thrust upon us, usually through trials and unexpected circumstances.
When Hubs and I married forever ago, I had my plans all mapped out. We’d wait a couple of years, get pregnant, have two or three children, and be one happy family. What I didn’t account for was that God’s plan might be different from mine.
After few months of trying to get pregnant, we conceived, but I lost that child. We later endured months of fertility testing and monthly disappointment. We learned, for us, infertility treatments cost more than we could afford.
God used that change in plans to stretch and refine me. He revealed aspects of me that were ugly. The Lord brought my childhood wounds to the surface of my life. I either had to confront some of my issues and change or become bitter.
When big life changes barge into our days—altering schedules, plans, mindsets, the things we thought we knew—God has a purpose in allowing them. Change is an opportunity. If I’m being honest, though, I don’t enter into change with that optimistic mindset.
How to Navigate Life Changes—6 Thoughts—When big life changes barge into our days—altering schedules, plans, mindsets, the things we thought we knew—God has a purpose in allowing them #tellhisstory #change Click To Tweet
How Do We Navigate Life Changes
We will handle transitions better by being honest with both God and ourselves.
Acknowledge our response to the change, even when it’s ugly.
As our infertility season dragged into years, I dealt with extreme disappointment which transitioned into depression. For a time, having a baby became my idol and hardened my view toward God. In time, my Father showed me where my heart was and where it could be. First, I had to admit my anger toward Him for not fulfilling this desire. I also had to acknowledge I had established an idol in my life.
Ask God to show us His perspective
As I realized I had made a baby my idol, I had to ask for His forgiveness and ask Him to change my heart. I also asked God to show me how He viewed this season in my life.
Choose to trust God when we navigate life changes
My struggle was a big-to-me situation, but it wasn’t world-changing. When we face life changes that will literally change life as we know it, (such as loss, joblessness, health crises, and other big events), being still and trusting God to act is the way to know peace in an otherwise uncertain, painful season. Sometimes, we can do things to help us adapt to the change. Other times, we need to be still and choose to trust God.
Take time to work through the emotions that accompany big changes
I found journaling helpful. On occasion, I gave myself permission to read for a day, rather than to try to be productive. Confiding in a trusted friend about my thoughts and fears helped refresh my mind and spirit because often that friend knew how to point me back to Jesus.
Give ourselves permission to take care of ourselves
Change can be stressful. Learning how to navigate life changes drains us, especially when others rely on our strength. We pour into others’ lives. We expend energy as we work through the struggle . . . which is why we must pour back into ourselves with self-care.
Make spending time with God a priority
We all need His help in keeping our hearts and thoughts aligned with His truths. Meditate on God’s word, especially when transitions feel overwhelming.
God did a lot of work in me. I had to choose to lay my desires in His hands. He challenged me with the question, “Jeanne, if I never give you a baby, will you still love Me?” I knew the right answer. But it took time for me to live into the truth that God’s plans are perfect, even when He doesn’t give us what we want most.
How to Navigate Life Changes—6 Thoughts— it took time for me to live into the truth that God’s plans are perfect, even when He doesn’t give us what we want most #tellhisstory #trustgod Click To TweetWhen I placed my hopes of being a mom into God’s care, He was free to work in my heart in ways He couldn’t when I fisted my desire for a baby. In the process of letting go—of navigating the life change—God refreshed my heart and my mind. He brushed the peace I’d craved throughout this season all over my spirit. And He revealed his love in ways I’d never seen before. This change began with being honest about the ways God’s initial “No/Not yet” answer impacted me.
Navigating life changes can be painful. But when God allows a trial into our lives, let’s invite God into the process, ask for His perspective, and trust Him to guide our hearts, minds, and lives.
What about you? When has God changed you in a difficult season? What’s one important lesson you’ve learned when navigating a life change?
Most weeks, I link up with Grace and Truth, Anita Ojeda, Instaencouragements, and sometimes Let’s Have Coffee. Come join and read more encouraging posts!
Each week we gather here as storytellers, word weavers, and encouragers to make His name known. Our story is God’s story and this small corner of the blogging world, where we come together each Tuesday, needs you. This is a place where poetry, snapshots, prayers, and stories find a safe spot to nod in agreement that what we have to say matters. I am glad you are here and would love to have you join the #TellHisStory community. Add your own encouraging post through the link below. Spread some love by visiting your neighbor and leaving your own encouragement. Click here to read more about the #TellHisStory community and find a button to add to your site.
Each week we gather here as storytellers, word weavers, and encouragers to make His name known. Our story is God’s story and this small corner of the blogging world, where we come together each Tuesday, needs you. This is a place where poetry, snapshots, prayers, and stories find a safe spot to nod in agreement that what we have to say matters. I am glad you are here and would love to have you join the #TellHisStory community. Add your own encouraging post through the link below. Spread some love by visiting your neighbor and leaving your own encouragement. Click here to read more about the #TellHisStory community and find a button to add to your site.
Our tough times also build our character, even though we sure can resist them. Looking back on my story as well as hearing others stories of God’s faithfulness helps me during my own trials. I have to say, being in my fifties, I’m a bit more relaxed generally during upheaval than I was in my twenties!
So true, Lynn. Our tough times are designed to build our character. Will we lean into them or fight them? And yes, after over five decades of spins around the sun, I’m learning how to relax more through upheaval too. At least a little bit. 🙂
Jeanne,
The hard struggle you share in this article makes my heart hurt for you and all you endured. Pain comes in so many different forms. Change is never easy, but it’s so important to our spiritual growth. Thank you for sharing what you’ve learned. I’m continuing to work on many of these areas.
Peace and grace,
Tammy
Tammy, thank you for your compassion. God helps us endure the most painful seasons, doesn’t He? And yes, change is essential for our growth, even though most of us tend to resist it. Thank you so much for stopping by!
I loved reading your thoughts on change. Thank you for sharing with Grace & Truth Link-up. Heading into some big changes right now. Our house sold and we are packing up. The timing of your post was perfect. Change has taught me to put my trust in God when I have no idea what is ahead. Blessings, Maree
Wow, Maree, it sounds like you do have some big changes coming! I truly resonate with your lesson learned about change. It seems like I have to keep re-learning that one. Sigh. I’m saying a prayer now for your packing up and settling elsewhere.
Oh Jeanne … you know this is resonating with me from start to finish. Over time (not just years, but decades), I’ve been learning that what I see as detours, delays and roadblocks are often the very things God uses to accomplish His purposes in my life. I might think I know what is best (for myself and others) but I’m often wrong, or it’s not up to me to decide. As you shared, laying those desires in God’s hand is the only way forward. Thank you for this powerful post, my friend.
Oh, Lois, I could be buried by all the times I thought I knew what was best. I’m so glad our Father is gracious and patient and works in spite of our stubbornness. Thanks for sharing a bit of your heart here, friend.
I confess that trust part is often my hang up. Praying through it.
Lauren, I am with you. Some of what I’m dealing with right now is challenging my willingness to trust God. Not a pleasant place to be. I’m praying for you today.
The beauty of walking through those difficult seasons with God is when we come through them, then we can walk with others experiencing similar challenges. We have the empathy and sympathy to encourage as they walk through their own pain and struggles. Wonderful post, my friend. Such encouraging words. 🙂
Yes, Lisa. God is pretty amazing in how He uses trials both in our lives and so we can walk alongside others. I love the insights you shared about the qualities we gain when we walk through trials. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
Your post today catapulted me back to the night of the death of my daughter Candy, when I woke to God hugging me.
And although I didn’t understand why He would allow such a horrific loss, I would continue to trust Him none the less.
Blessings,
Jennifer
Jennifer, I am so sorry you lost your daughter. I can’t really imagine the depth of that sort of pain. It’s reassuring to hear how God met you in that dark place. Thanks for the inspiration to continue to trust Him, even when He allows our worst nightmares to become reality.
Thank you Jeanne.
Jeanne, this entire message spoke to my heart. Honestly admitting that a baby had become your idol also struck a cord. So many times the enemy deceives us into thinking we don’t have idols because the things we desire are good and God must want this for us too. The Lord has shown me how anything (even good) or anyone that takes precedence over Him is crowding out my number one spot! Early 2020 when my life changed drastically in a moment of time and thrust me into a dark valley, the Lord showed me I was hanging on to things that couldn’t help me and He would see me through the changes. Navigating that valley brought me out to a place of spiritual abundance and peace like never before.
Karen, I’ve learned that anything I want more than I want God is an idol. That’s a bit of an ouch sometimes, but that’s what I use to evaluate if something is becoming an idol in my life. The enemy is subtlely deceptive. Isn’t our Father faithful to show us the truths we need, even when they hurt? I so appreciate you sharing a bit of your story here. Thanks for the important reminder that nothing besides God can bring us out of life’s valleys.
I’ve discovered I revert to my two-year-old trantrumming self 😞 during unexpected changes. God is giving me plenty of opportunities to change this year. I’m learning to journal and listen in order to understand how God wants me to change.
Anita, I think God is giving many of us plenty of opportunities to change this year. Journaling and listening are key, I believe, to understanding how God wants us to change.
I wish we grew as much in good times as in testing. But that is the bright hope in trials: God is producing something wonderful in us.
I, too, have wished I could grow as much in the good times as I do in the trials. Sigh. Thank goodness those trials are never wasted!
This resonated with me. “God used that change in plans to stretch and refine me. He revealed aspects of me that were ugly. The Lord brought my childhood wounds to the surface of my life. I either had to confront some of my issues and change or become bitter. ” Those hardships we go through change and grow us in so many ways. Great tips and article, Jeanne. It comes down to trusting God and believing he is good even when our dreams are not given us.
Infertility can be so hard. You are wanting such a good thing, a child. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Theresa, yes. The hardships we walk through do change and grow us. How we respond to them determines how we change and grow. I agree, it does come down to trusting God and believing He’s good even when He doesn’t give us what we want/think is best. Trust. God. Our infertility journey was a number of years ago. But, it was such an impacting time in my life, I still draw upon lessons learned during those years.
Jeanne, thank you for sharing your story here. Such good advice on navigating difficult life changes. As I reflect on the many changes I have walked through, the most fulfilling were those I surrendered to God, allowing Him free reign in my heart and life.
Donna, you’re so right. Change—even the hardest ones—are most fulfilling when we surrender all of it and ourselves to God. Thank you for sharing your wisdom here!
With God’s help we can safely navigate any challenge!
Very true, Barbara!
I appreciate your openness here, Jeanne. I wasn’t aware of your infertility journey. I’m so sorry. That sounds very, very difficult. I don’t always handle change very quickly or easily either. I’ve had a change occur over the summer that I do not like. I’ve definitely picked up my journal habit again and have been talking to God about it all a lot.
Hi Lisa, thanks. I haven’t shared much about our infertility journey for a while here. It was painful, but God drew me so much closer to Himself through the journey. I’m praying for you as you navigate your current change. Journaling is helpful, isn’t it? Thanks for sharing a bit of your heart here.
I want to learn from your real life curriculum as I navigate this transition into empty nest living. Like you, I have a very clear picture of what I want it to look like…
I want to surrender that to him.
Awww, Michele, transitioning to an empty nest life seems to be full of fits and starts and jerking stops, at least in our family Sometimes, it’s tough to align my expectations and heart with God’s intentions. I’m trying to figure out how to surrender all of it to Him.
One of my experiences along these lines has been trusting and accepting when God brought physical issues into my life and then didn’t remove them after earnest and frequent prayer. It seemed to me like I could serve Him better without them–but evidently He had things to teach me through them. I’ve found this to be true as well: “Change is an opportunity. If I’m being honest, though, I don’t enter into change with that optimistic mindset.” I appreciate your six thoughts. Acknowledging that God is in control and has a purpose in all He allows helps in difficult circumstances.
Barbara, we grapple with so much when God doesn’t answer our fervent prayers, don’t we? Trusting Him, defining what faith really is, coming to terms with what God’s love looks like, especially when it’s different from what we expected. I’ve come to realize God has lessons to teach us in each trial we walk through. Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your story and thoughts here
Jeanne, your post today brought back the night I felt God ask me, “If I never do another thing for you, will you still love me?” It was such a hard question and it made me realize how much He had already done for me. It was a life-changing question and one for which I have never regretted my answer. God wants us to love Him for the joy of being with Him, His Presence. In these days we are now living, I am so grateful for His Presence with us, each and every moment.
Joanne, God has ways of helping us define where our hearts are at with Him and to hone what it is we truly believe. I like the direction you took, remembering how much He’s done for each of us. Yes, God does want us to love Him for the joy of being with Him. I, too, am beyond glad for God’s constant presence with us.
I wonder if the Texicans
trapped in the Alamo
thought Santa Ana’s Mexicans
would just give up and go
away into that arid land
to find easier prey;
might they be made to understand
that, truly, come what may,
they’d come upon an iron peg
stuck deep into the soil
whose molecules would not reneg,
but fall in honest toil,
and in their death proclaim the truth
of which San Jacinto is the proof.
Andrew . . . a history lesson in a poem. Sometimes, it’s necessary to refuse to change based on principle. Other times, we must change or face severe repercussions. Your poem has paused me and made me think. Thank you for that. 🙂 You guys are often in my thoughts and prayers.