For fifteen years, a friend of mine has worked for the same company. She had a parking space and an office. She frequented the same places for lunch, and went with the same friends. She honed her skills and contributed something unique that she alone could give. She made a home. She found her place. She belonged.
Last week, her position was eliminated, and she was let go.
I can only imagine what her final hours there were like – the last goodbyes, the elevator ride down, the walk to the car, the long drive home. And I suspect her mind has been flooded with questions like:
What do I do now?
Am I washed up – is it over for me?
I gave this the best years of my life – how am I supposed to start over again?
Where would I even begin?
How can I make it all on my own?
These are familiar questions to any of us who’ve felt the sting of great loss – be it our job, a relationship, or the passing of a loved one. We’ve all limped through days when some outside force swept into our lives like a storm, and messed up the good thing we had going.
We’ve all had Plan B thrust upon us.
Change is rarely easy, even when it’s for something we desire. Embracing the unknown road is uncomfortable and it costs us plenty – beginning with whatever security we’ve conjured up in our heads. Thing is, you get nowhere without it. Imagine having lived your life with no dramatic changes – no big moves. What if you’d settled in years ago, and that was that? You’d just be living the same old day and the same old year after year… THAT’S when you know you’re done. THAT’S when you know you’re finished.
Change is meant to be a catalyst for our good, even when it hurts.
It does hurt sometimes, and when it does, take the time to feel the pain of your loss. But also know this.
The sooner you can stop fighting it,
The quicker you can embrace it,
The sooner you can muster the words, “Thank you”, and see change as an opportunity instead of an injury, the sooner you’ll discover the next chapter of your story.
Sometimes something must die, something beautiful must be removed, something that defines us must be cleared from our lives to make space for a beautiful new thing.
Our new and better home.
Our new place to belong.
If you know someone in a season of change and you think this might encourage them, please pass this along.
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The rippling effects of your writings continue…Tal shared with our Friends in Faith Monday Night Bible Study Group – actually read this to them (10 folks met at our home last night to study about the Apostle Paul). At a minimum, there were three trembling lips and tears in the eyes…all asked for a print out of this special message. All were moved and ALL asked to receive your blogs. Wow, you are an amazing instrument of God’s teaching. Blessings to you Dear Friend!
CHANCE! autumn here.
you made my day twice today… once seeing you in merridee’s and again after reading this :)
kudos! keep em coming!
You have very important points in this post. Changes are hard but sometimes you feel so good after the decision is made and you realise you’re really moving on. What is more, you don’t see all the benefits of a change right away but later it’s always clear the change was an extremely important step on your way to where you are now. So let’s welcome changes!
YES! I love this comment. It sounds so basic, but it’s really a lifelong lesson. To embrace change is to embrace progress.
My husband, Tal, printed this post and took it with him to visit his mother at the assisted living home, where she now resides. There, gathered with 3 of her new best friends, he read this post out loud to the four of them. Some totally understood, some oblivious to the content and its meaning, but ALL loved to listen to what you wrote, Chance. On most visits,it’s common to hear a resident question “WHY’ they are there and talk of their struggles with becoming a new resident…Even the 90+ need to hear about how change can be a catalyst for our good! Many, many thanks for allowing the Spirit to move you to put pen to paper! Bless you, Chance!
This might be the most humbling and gratifying message I’ve received. Wow. I’m so grateful to be a small part of the encouragement he brought that day. Please thank him for me, and thank YOU for taking the time to let me know.
Just wanted to add that prior to surrender to ministry, my husband was displaced from jobs twice – once with company filing bankruptcy. After that job ended, he started a new job on Monday following the Friday of his company’s closing. Then five years later, his new job closed all their locations in the north Alabama area. The longest he went without a job was 3 months, but pay was reduced drastically. God has always provided for our needs through each storm, but boy were there some tough lessons learned!
Wow. I’d love to sit down and hear that story… Sounds like you’ve got an uncommon story to tell. What an adventure!