Spring is in the air. Yesterday it was in the mid-sixties in Southern Oregon and today it is dreary with a chance of snow tonight. Fall and spring are my favorite times of the year. Summer is too hot and winter is too dark. Maybe that says something about my personality; I am not really settled. Change is constant and very few things are a lifetime. Deep rooted callings and values are much more concrete, but those values play out in our vocation often differently at different stages. Change is inevitable when we chase dreams and if we aren’t ready for them, we can get caught standing still when we should move or moving when we should stand still. We need to navigate change well to reach our dreams.
My Navigating Change Story
I have been part owner and operator of a pizza restaurant for seventeen years in June. The last five years, I have served full time at a church and spent the last year and a half as the Spiritual Development Pastor. It has been a challenging, yet rewarding journey doing both. I have recently decided to resign from my pastoral position and that has not been an easy choice. In fact, I may pastor again someday, however, this is the right decision for now. Change; it’s messy and hard when you have two good choices. I have found that there is some crucial ingredients that make change a lot easier for me and I think they will help you as well.
Navigate change with these 4 tips.
Trusted Circle
We need a trusted circle of friends. I’m not talking about all of your friends, rather a group that you are 100 with and they are the same with you. This group is needed for counsel, encouragement, or to smack you in the back of the head when you’re being an idiot. We are all idiots sometimes. If you have not spent the time to build trusted friendships, it’s not too late to start now. Who can you take a chance in trusting? In the end that’s what it’s going to take, faith. If someone breaks your trust, forgive them and try someone else. Building a circle of friends is not easy, however, it is a must to navigating change in the best way possible. Open yourself up to the possibility that you don’t have all of the answers and others could be helpful.
Prayer Helps Navigate Change Well
Pray a lot to navigate change the way God intended you to. Not stupid fake prayers, rather real, raw ones that are honest. There are going to be times that you are angry with God. Tell Him. There are going to be times that you are overcome with gratitude. Tell Him. Your thoughts are not hidden from Him. Let the good and the bad ones always drive you to the feet of Jesus and He will restore you. Change will not be easy when you have put your heart and soul into something and you will need Him to guide you through and protect your heart from offense and pride. Pray to your Father in Heaven to navigate change with grace.
Surrender to Navigate Change
When you are running a marathon there is a saying that says, “Let the hill come to you.” It’s tempting to zoom up the hill and run out of energy or walk because it’s hard. Letting the hill come to you means that you maintain a steady stride and don’t force anything. When you are making a change, it will be easy to want to procrastinate to avoid the pain or to quit suddenly and speed up that hill. Surrender to God and the process and let the change come to you. Change is a gradual turn in the corner, not a jerky motion that scares your family and leaves you depleted. Surrender to the uncomfortable time frame to navigate change in a healthy way.
Talk and Listen to Navigate Change Well
I’m a verbal processor so no one needs to tell me to talk. Maybe you’re not and I want you to know that the people close to you can’t hear your thoughts. No one feels the same about change. I embrace change and my wife hates it. We have talked a lot about that and how our lives will look. Unity happens the more we share with each other and then compromise. If you are compromising without sharing where you stand, stop it. Talk about the uncomfortable things before they become a fight. Talk and listen to have healthy relationships as you navigate change.
Change is challenging and change is exciting. Embrace the sun and the dreariness on the way to the life that you envision. One thing I know for sure is that change is on your horizon and it’s up to you to make that change a beautiful thing or one that you hate. Stay curious about what God has for you next and be blessed on your journey.
What helps you to navigate change?