Finding Comfort in the Midst of Change
It was the summer of 2021…my big summer of change. So many transitions were coming my way and I felt confident and ready to take on all of them.
Here’s a glimpse into what was going on in my life at that time. I had just graduated from college in May, and two days after graduation I started my first “big girl” job. I was also preparing for my wedding in August and getting ready to move out of my childhood home. We were doing marriage counseling, taking a finance class, and apartment hunting. On top of it all, my fiancé (now husband) just took a position at a new church, so we said goodbye to the church I’d been attending since I was seven to embark on a new adventure.
Despite all that was about to change in my life, I was ready to jump in full force. I told myself I could do this. The change was fresh, new, and exciting. People would say to me, “How are you doing? That’s a lot all at once!” I would respond with, “I got this. Things are going great!” And the truth was, that summer went really well! I wouldn’t realize until later that I wasn’t processing or reflecting on anything that was happening. I was just bouncing from one thing to the next and relying on my own strength to get me through.
When summer came to an end, we finally settled into a regular routine. Fall began and my job was no longer new and fun, there was no big wedding to plan for, no honeymoon to look forward to, and each day began to look the same. Life slowed down, and I began to feel sad. I thought, “I shouldn’t feel sad because I am happily married, making money, and living in a cute apartment. I have everything I ever hoped for.”
But it was during these “normal” fall days that I started to process the changes that had occurred in my life. When I took the time to reflect on the summer, I felt grief and pain. I missed living at my old house and seeing my parents every day. I missed walking into church and knowing every face. I missed grabbing lunch with friends at school and having late-night chats with my roommates. I missed what my life was like before all these changes.
It was in these moments when I was grieving how things used to be that God showed me He is my comforter. He had been there all along, but this was the first time in months that I slowed down enough to realize He was truly with me, offering peace through every single change. Although I was sad a chapter of my life had ended, God gave me hope that greater things were ahead.
2 Corinthians 1:3 reminds us that God is our comforter. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
My feelings of loss were very real. By acknowledging them, giving them to God, and trusting Him in the new, I was able to heal and embrace His plan for my life.
Here are some ways I was able to lean into the peace and comfort of God when I was dealing with a whole lot of change.
Slow Down
It wasn’t until my life slowed down that I was truly able to experience the peace God was offering. We are not always fortunate enough to have “slow seasons” in life, but we can create moments of stillness each day. Pick a time and place where you can sit in the quiet and lean into God’s presence. The Pause App is also a wonderful tool you can download on your phone that reminds you to reconnect with God throughout your busy day.
Share with God
Although God already knows how we feel and what we are going through, He wants us to bring it to Him. Tell God about the changes in your life that are difficult. Share how you are feeling. He cares about your pain, sadness, and grief.
Give Everything and Everyone to God
Once you’ve slowed down and expressed your cares to God, it’s time to release them to Him. Oftentimes when change occurs, we don’t have control over it. At first, this might make you feel anxious, but in reality, we have a sovereign God who is in control of everything and has good plans for your life.
In his book Wild at Heart, Christian author and counselor John Eldridge encourages us to pray a simple prayer of surrender. I’ve added this prayer into my daily routine and it has radically changed me. The prayer is, “I give everything and everyone to you, God.” As I give all things over to my heavenly Father, I find a peace that surpasses understanding, no matter what chaos is happening around me.
If you need help navigating through a season of transition in your life, counseling is a great option. Click here for more information about our counseling services.
