Colossians 1:9-12: … we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
In Part 2 we recognized that change is not easy and can often be very challenging to our faith life. In this final segment, I want to discuss how challenging times can always result in growth—if we let it.
Times of physical, emotional, circumstantial and spiritual challenge give us the opportunity to learn the lessons we need to in order to move on. Our control issues, which were nicely hidden (thank you) in big jobs, come out full-force when we are insecure because of change. Our sense of time changes dramatically: we become acutely sensitive to time when we are waiting to hear from future employers, clients, buyers, investors or others. We are not used to having the time to go to the gym, catch up on reading or correspondence, bake or be with children. When we do not know what the future will bring, or–more specifically–when that future will arrive, we forget that we are the reflection of divine light. We need to live in the unknowing. We do not like doing that. And so we are cranky, or in overdrive, don’t sleep, challenge the spending of every penny, or start to indulge in our addictions—a chocolate fudge sundae, anyone?
To ignore the change in circumstances is to ignore reality. It is good to mourn the past, at least briefly. But by focusing on the future, we can proceed on our path.
Rather than praying for certain outcomes (“Please, God, I just need this one contract to come through!”), we need to pray for the lessons to be learned. The outcome will take care of itself. For example, rather than praying to get a certain project or piece of work, our prayer needs to be that we always be grateful and ready to learn from life. Such a prayer allows us to see that Divine Right Action is always at work in our lives. Divine Right Action is the presence of God in our lives…even in the mysteries and challenges we face. In other words, it is not time to see this development as a punishment from God; no, God is always there and present in our lives, even when it is hard to see his face
If we are very used to a structured life, and now have unstructured time at home, we need to pray for the skills, abilities and talents to live in an unstructured world. We may impose certain structures in the form of routines; we may also learn to float through time for a while.
If we are changing jobs, or beginning to free-lance, we need to pray for strength. If I submit a bid for a particular job, I do not pray to get it. Rather, I pray to be ready and grateful for the right work for me. Not getting a particular job does not mean the end of the world; rather, it creates an opportunity to be available for something else, or to do other work. More will be revealed as time goes on.
If we have moved to more meaningful work, the power and prestige we left behind still may tempt us. We need to pray for the strength of our conviction. We need to devote real energy to our new work to learn if this is where we belong. Short-circuiting that process will do us no good.
It is necessary to be in tune with our God, and pray for knowledge of God’s will for us in this time. We pray so that our path can be revealed to us. We pray that we make the appropriate decisions regarding that path and that we interpret the signs appropriately; that we serve others, love others and walk humbly with our God. We need to ask that our faith not be shaken in the face of the apparent adversity or major change.
A PRAYER WHEN LEAVING A MANAGEMENT POSITION:
Lord and Giver of Life, you know that I am facing a transition. You also know I do not handle the uncertainties of life with the aplomb that I wish I had. So please guide me so that I do not miss the lessons and opportunities you present to me. Help me to see the apparent setbacks as part of your divine plan for me. Help me to release the blocks that hold me back from realizing every opportunity that you present to me. Help me to grow during this stage, and to become the person I want to be. And while all this wonderfulness is going on, please help me not to be jealous of those whose lives seem to be easier than mine. I am your unique creature; I am your Love. Help me to know this fact and dispel any temptations I have to think anything else. Amen.
Essay and Prayer by Kathleen Whiteside Langdon