Not Giving Up In Changing Times & The #DreamTogether Linkup

It can be difficult to stay the course when you find yourself in transition. The dream, idea, or exciting endeavor that God once whispered to your soul can dull with time as you face obstacles and delays. Seasons of change can leave you off-balance, as you try to find your footing and make your way back to level ground.

Before our fifth child was born, I found myself in a productive season of creativity. I finished my manuscript about finding grace in the unraveling of life, I helped others with social media and book proposals, and I set-up the nursery—complete with a gallery wall.

Being creative invigorates me—when I don’t have a creative outlet I feel empty and lost.

After our sweet daughter was born, I found myself unsure if I’d ever have enough time and energy to write again. It was such a joy to have an infant in the house again but this time of transition sent my usual routine packing on the wings of sleep deprivation.

When we find ourselves in a season of change it can be tempting to try and rush our way through it. Or we might feel like giving up on the goals we had before we encountered this season.

How do we find grace and peace when what we’ve once known is no longer a reality?

1. Be patient with yourself and others. When life changes choose to receive and extend grace to yourself and others. Change is not easy and you will need time to adjust to different dynamics and challenges. Don’t expect to find your way immediately. Take a deep breath (or ten) and ask God to help you navigate this season.
2. Choose thankfulness in the midst of uncertainty. If we continually try and go back to how things were or rush through the season we find ourselves in, we can get worn out and discouraged. Look for the big or small blessings in the midst of change and thank God for them. Gratitude is a proven way to improve our outlook and it can uplift those around us as well.
3. Trust that God knows what He is doing. God is unchanging. He has promised to be with us as we walk this road of faith—through all the hills and valleys. Even when life feels out of control, we can trust His heart. God is Sovereign and able to do the impossible. He is with us in the midst of change. May His Presence comfort us and the Holy Spirit guide us as we find ourselves in transition.
4. You can’t go back but it can get get better. Do you longingly look back at the past or the good old days, when you felt more secure and sure of yourself? We can spend a lot of time wishing for, or trying to get back to, the way things were, but that can cause frustration and waste a lot of energy. While things may never be the same, they can get better over time. Choose to let go of what used to be and look for the special blessings in this current season.

Dear God:

Help us not to give up when things feel upside down. Thank You that You don’t change. Thank You that we can trust You even in times of uncertainty. It can feel unsettling, and sometimes downright scary, when we encounter change. Help us not to put our confidence in our feelings but in Your unchanging and timeless Word, found in the Bible. Thank You that You are with us and for us. Help us to navigate each season of life with Your Holy Spirit as our counselor and Your Truth as our anchor. May we receive and extend grace to ourselves and others as we rest in Your ability to uphold us in times of transition. We entrust ourselves to Your keeping. Please show us how to adjust our thinking and our activity to align with Your time table. May we not fret and fear but rest and trust. Thank You for being patient with us. Thank You for You unfading love.

Amen.

Shared by: Katie M. Reid

 

                                       

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