10 Tips to Ease Worry During Times of Transition
I remember the year our older daughter left for college, our son started high school, and our little bit went off to her first day of kindergarten.
I’d always been highly anxious (another word for worrier) anyway but with all of those changes happening at once . . . I became what some might refer to as hyper-anxious.
Oooh, it wasn’t pretty!
The thing is, change happens and the saying, “this too shall pass,” is true for both the good and the not so good parts of life.
Which is why I love this word of hope and encouragement from my friend, Dawn Klinge.
If you’re experiencing or even just anticipating a time of transition, this is for you.
I know, because I’m pretty sure she wrote it for me.
10 Tips to Ease Worry During Times of Transition
I‘ve prayed and given this to God. Now I simply need to take His hand and walk with him.
I wrote those words a few years ago when I was in the process of buying a new home. Still, in the process of getting those words from my head to a deeper knowing in my heart, I had to remind myself more than a few times of the truth I was holding onto.
The truth is . . . God always has been and always will be trustworthy.
Once again, I find myself in a time of transition. My oldest will be graduating from high school in a couple of months. Big changes are coming!
A new house, a graduation, an unwelcome diagnosis, a new job…whatever it is, we’ve all experienced transitions.
Transitions are often uncomfortable.
As humans, we tend to want to know what to expect, next. It helps us feel like we’re in control. Times of transition and change are full of unknowns. This can be exciting, but sometimes, it can also be scary.
“Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God. Fear of the unknown path stretching ahead of us destroys childlike trust in the Father’s active goodness and unrestricted love.” ― Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffin’s Path to God
Knowing who God is (He is completely sovereign, perfect in love, and infinite in wisdom) is where trusting Him starts.
Asking for the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, to help us trust Him is also essential. After praying and leaving a heavy burden with God, we may experience instant peace — or we may not.
But it doesn’t change the fact that God is in control and He is trustworthy.
Often, I need to discipline my thoughts and come back to prayer, again and again, when a situation is particularly stressful.
Here’s what the Bible says about worry,
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
The following list contains ten suggestions that work for me.
They are practical steps I take when a problem is weighing heavily on my mind and I’m faced with uncertainty and change:
1. Open up the Bible, read, and pray
2. Write out my thoughts
3. Ask a few close friends to pray for me
4. Laugh. Spend some time with someone who makes me laugh, watch a comedy, read a book. Don’t take everything so seriously!
5. Move: walk, run, swim…whatever
6. Make a list of what needs to be done
7. Tackle the tasks in bite-sized pieces. Break it down.
8. Talk about it and problem solve, but put limits on how long I’ll do this before taking a break.
9. Work as a team with my spouse or ask for help from a friend. God puts us in each other’s lives so that we can be His hands and feet. Be humble enough to accept help when needed.
10. Get enough sleep and eat healthy.
If you’re in the midst of change, if you don’t know what to expect and you’re worried, I want to encourage you to look to Jesus as your rock.
He never changes.
He always has been and always will be worthy of our trust.
He loves you very much.
Give your cares to Him, take His hand, walk with Him, and see where He leads you.
Bio: Dawn is a freelance writer and Christian blogger who loves encouraging women to keep their focus on Jesus. She’s the author of Look to Jesus: How to Let Go of Worry and Trust God. She’s a wife and mom to two teens. A Seattle girl, she loves books and coffee.
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Thank you Deb ! Your thoughts are gift of Holy Spirit for all of us , for help and love. I like reading your blog. Gretings from Split, Croatia! With love, Karla.
Oh, Karla, thank you so much! Your kind words bless my heart! Greetings to you in Croatia. I love how small the internet makes our beautiful world! God bless you!
Thank you for sharing Dawn’s wisdom and advice here today, Deb. Truly, at this time of transition for us, it was exactly what I needed to hear.
Blessings!
It was exactly what I needed too, Martha! I asked her if she wrote it just for me!
Perfect timing on this one! Much needed for a dear loved one.
I’m so glad, Andrea! I needed it too!
Deb, thanks so much for sharing Dawn’s words in due season. I am in transition and wavering between trust and worry. Often doing them simultaneously. Hew list has reminded me once again what to do. Bless you both. I asked for continued prayer as I finish the last week of my Bachelor’s program.
Oh, Calvonia, I’m asking God to fill you with His peace and give you clarity of thought as you work through this last week of classes and finals. God bless you!
Dawn, the point you made about us sometimes feeling the peace and sometimes not is so important. This was a great encouragement to keep our eyes on Him in spite of our feelings! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Donna. Yes, feelings can’t always be trusted but God can always be trusted!
I so needed this today. Thanks Deb.
Sue Guillory, Baytown, TX
This is just what I needed to hear from two of my favorite bloggers. Blessings to you both!
I’m going through a very stressful and difficult situation. I came across your website and just wanted to thank you for writing words of love and encouragement in unknown times. May God bless you and your loved ones.
Bianca, I’m so glad you visited and were blessed! I ask God every day to send these words where He wants them to go and use them for His glory. You are an answer to those prayers. I’m sorry you are going through this difficult time. I have stopped to pray for you and ask God to meet every need as you move forward with Him each day. God bless you!