“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11a
Change. People have many thoughts on this word. Some love change. Many, myself included, are not big fans of it. Changes bring all the emotions. Fear, anxiety, excitement, sadness, gladness, and many others.
This past May I had to leave a job I absolutely loved. It was the best job I have ever had. I was so happy there, using the gifts God gave me to serve children and prepare them for the new season coming in their lives. I very rarely had a bad day in the 8 years that I taught at Mother’s Day Out and I made some of my best friends there. But, change came for me, like it comes for all of us.
I am now re-entering a season where my primary role is stay-at-home mom. I was not prepared to do this again as I had believed that the older my children got, the less they would need me at home during the day. I believed that I had the best of both worlds. I worked part time in a job that was flexible and allowed me to be at all of my kids’ school functions and be near enough to help them if they needed. I was also able to have a job that was my own and gave me a sense of accomplishment and purpose during the times my children were in the care of their teachers. Seriously, I felt like I was living the life I had always dreamed of.
Because of that belief, I was not emotionally ready to step away from my job. Knowing it was the right thing to do and that God was calling me away did not take away the grief or disappointment I felt. It did not take away the false sense of shame I felt at quitting my job. My momma didn’t raise a quitter! However, I am so grateful for all the seasons God has brought me to and through because, though I wasn’t ready, I knew that my emotions were real and it was ok for me to feel them. I serve a God who loves me and who has never failed to meet me in every transition and every difficult moment. The freedom God gives us to come to Him with our emotions is incredible to me. To be able to come to my Heavenly Father and tell Him that I am sad and filled with grief over losing something that I love and to receive comfort rather than anger or judgment is something I will never understand. I love serving a God who’s understanding far outdoes mine.
There are new things on the horizon for me. A new opportunity was presented to me over the summer and I am very excited about it. I am also nervous and wondering if I am really the right person for the job. I am sure that this is the direction that I have been praying for God to take me in, but I am also wondering why He chose me. I am worried that I will fail and worried that I will let people down. I am also anxious about what success in a new position will bring. I know that God is already there though. I know that He so often brings me opportunities to serve Him and those opportunities end up changing me and growing my faith more than the people I was helping in His name. I am going to do my best to enter my new season boldly. My God is already there and I cannot wait to see what He wants to do.
School is starting soon and many of us will be experiencing transitions and helping our loved ones walk forward into new seasons. God is already there. He won’t leave you and He welcomes all your complicated emotions. Don’t hesitate to tell Him how you are feeling and don’t hesitate to rest in the gift of His presence.
“There is a time for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
Meet the Author!
Kara is wife to Brad, mom to 4 beautiful children, and dog mom to the best good dogs you ever met. She enjoys taking long walks, Chili's date nights, and Wheel of Fortune with the family. She loves advocating for inclusion and talking too much about adoption.