Trusting God through life’s transitions
It was my junior year at UMHB and campus was a ghost town. I had to stay a few days late with my fellow RA’s to check people out of the dorms, and this was the last night we’d be there before summer break.
After work, I set off with two of my best friends to explore campus — one of our ordinary activities since there’s absolutely nothing to do in Belton, Texas. The school had just put a ton of money into building the new football stadium, and the red “caution” and “do not enter” signs were too tempting to pass up.
We gathered our courage, walked passed the tape, climbed two unsteady ladders, and shuffled our way to the edge of the newly constructed third story stadium.
With our legs dangling off the ledge, we sat and talked for a couple of hours. We reminisced on the memories the past year held, the good and bad times, the relationships that were made, and the few that had broken; we talked about our summer plans, our hopes for the next school year, and even our plans for post-college life.
We were facing a transition. In life — whether it be from one grade to another, one school to the next, one state to a different state, one job to another, or emotional changes — transition can be a little scary.
I’m, again, currently in the transitioning phase, moving from Waco to Austin, and from being a hospital nurse to … well, I don’t know. I’m sitting on my “imaginary ledge” looking back on my memories of being in Waco and being a nurse and looking out into the horizon of new opportunities. Scared, yet excited. Confused, yet confident.
The greatest lesson I’ve learned in this transitioning time is to trust in the Lord. I know, a little cliche, but it’s so true. I wake up in the morning and think, “man, I don’t have a job, and I don’t know what I’m doing with my life.”
Those thoughts often cause a spiraling train of anxiety and worry.
But then I remind myself to sit back down on my imaginary ledge with God and reminisce. I say, “I’ve been a nurse for two years. You taught me so much. You’ve taken care of me. Now you’re leading me somewhere else. You’re calling, and I’m going! You’re leading, and I’m following, and that’s the best place I could be!”
Ah, the peace I receive from trusting is so much better.
It reminds me of the Israelites on their way from Egypt to the Promise Land, and how God provided manna for them, but only enough for each day. Some tried to store as much up as they could, nervous for the days to come, but it only led to rotten food and disappointment (Exodus 16: 1–35).
The lesson is simple.
God provides for us every day. Trust in Him. Trust He knows what He’s doing even when you don’t, and be comforted by the fact that the Lord will take care of you, just like he did for the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness.
Go out every day and gather your manna, work hard, seek Him always, and enjoy the gift of being able to sit on the ledge with God, and just talk.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
