Change is inevitable, and God’s desire is for us to navigate these seasons of change in a way that honors Him. God sovereignly allows our circumstances, but He will be our provision if we allow Him. When we can honor Him in the midst of everything that we are going through, then and only then are we satisfied.
We, as moms, are usually so busy taking care of everybody else that we tend to push through the transitions instead of stopping long enough to navigate it with grace. We numb the feelings and miss what God may have for us in the midst of those transitions.
If we want to navigate these transitions in a more healthy and God-honoring way, we MUST stop long enough to evaluate our thoughts and really listen. He desires for us to see what He wants us to see in the midst of transition.
What will we miss if we don’t do that? If we don’t stop and evaluate our thoughts? What might God have for us in that wrestling?
We dove deep into this subject on my recent podcast interview, on the Faith Inspired Podcast. I’ve summarized it for you below.
![what is my purpose as a christian mom](https://i0.wp.com/mistymcfadden.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/xavier-mouton-photographie-ry_sD0P1ZL0-unsplash.jpg?resize=747%2C498&ssl=1)
Identifying Disconnect During Seasons of Change
In order to identify where the disconnect is during these seasons, we must identify the three specific areas we wrestle with most as women. These areas are purpose, perspective, and provision.
Purpose
We often wrestle with our purpose in life because we have mistaken it for a call that God’s placed on our life whether it be to motherhood, working outside of the home, working at home, or to ministry.
We question whether we have permission to do something or not to do something. We fall into a lot of fear because we are afraid that our families are going to suffer if we choose to follow a call that He has placed on our life.
We forget that we are not that powerful to ruin our own lives; God has his hand on us at such a great level. And, more importantly we have confused a calling for our purpose.
Our purpose is simply: to know God, to glorify God, and to love Him. To glorify Him means to enjoy him!
Every believer has a different call, but the same universal purpose.
Perspective
We tend to get hyper focused on little decisions (what are big decisions to us), but in the grand scheme of things they are not as big of a deal as we make them to be. We also tend to tie our identity to our circumstances, and to things.
If it’s something that we can’t let go of, or if we would feel broken if He took it away tomorrow, we may be tying our identity to that a little too much.
We have to change our perspective and adjust our focus upward. We have to focus our perspective on who God is rather than who we are or who we aren’t. We must choose to focus on His attributes; faithful, good, trustworthy, and cling to who He is in the season that we’re in.
Provision
God desires to be our provision just like He was to the children of Israel in the wilderness.
Provision is believing He’s given us everything we need to accomplish what He has called us to do.
The transitions could be something new that He is calling you to, it could be a new season, or it could be one of life’s twists and turns. Allowing Him to be your provision in the midst of these life changes may reveal something you would have otherwise missed.
![thoughts and feelings as a christian](https://i0.wp.com/mistymcfadden.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/matthew-hamilton-tNCH0sKSZbA-unsplash.jpg?resize=621%2C621&ssl=1)
Addressing Thoughts and Feelings
How to Identify the Areas of Disconnect
We must be intentional, not numbing out our feelings, but addressing them head on while we actionably wait.
Ask the Lord to reveal to you where the disconnect is, and don’t be afraid to fall apart emotionally. We have to go there sometimes; we have to feel the hurt and stressors to realize God is right there with us in these seasons of change.
We have likely been letting some thoughts drive us for 20-30 years. We have to truly learn to be more reflective whether that is journaling or writing, and we have to really focus on getting those thoughts in our minds out.
Once we have our thoughts out on paper and in front of us, we have to take those thoughts captive and combat them with the word of God. He desires to show us the disconnect; He desires to show us where He wants to meet our needs instead of us trying to figure it out on our own.
It’s ok to wrestle and to doubt and have fear, but it’s not ok to stay there. When we are there, we have to choose Him and His word and His truth even in the midst of that wrestling because when we come out on the other side, He’s going to prove faithful.
How to Deal with Negative Thought Patterns
Once we’re familiar with the areas that we wrestle with most, we can start to address the feelings and thoughts surrounding them.
God created feelings and emotions as indicators for us to check in with ourselves, but more importantly, check in with Him. They often lead to something that He wants to do in us, and gives us information on how to move forward in a God-honoring way.
You have to ask yourself intentional questions and face your thoughts and feelings head on no matter how hard it may be. When you fall into the pit, you don’t stay there and decorate it. You’ll never have it all figured out, but you will have tools in your toolbox and it will get easier each time.
Unless you stop and wrestle with the Lord on these things and let Him reveal truth to you, you’re going to struggle every time you go through seasons of change.
In regards to purpose, we have to ask ourselves: what am I believing about my purpose? Am I confusing my purpose and my call? Does the belief that I have line up with the truth of God’s word? WHY? Why am I fearful? What are my motives? Can this transition serve IN my purpose?
A lot of times our response or our reaction to this will actually be a root of something in us that God wants to work out. And, a lot of times it is fear and not trusting in the Lord to what He has called us to do.
In regards to perspective, we could ask ourselves: am I making God smaller in this season? Am I focusing on God’s attributes? If He took this away tomorrow would I be devastated? What are my expectations? Where might my perspective be a bit off?
In regards to provision we could simply ask:
>>> what am I believing about God right now?
Click here to download the Thought Renewal Action Plan and Navigating Seasons of Transition Workbook.
Moving Forward With Jesus in Seasons of Change
This is where patience comes in, sister. We have to remember that God is the one doing the work. We can’t force it, the timing is not ours.
We must be yielding, trusting, obeying and continuing what He’s called us to do in a God-honoring way even when everything else is falling apart. We must take care of our basic responsibilities as a mother and as a wife before anything else.
If God is revealing something in your life that is sin (something that you have chosen to do outside of what He wants you to do), then praise God that we have an opportunity to make that right. Try to look at these things as opportunities for growth instead of obstacles or overwhelm.
We’re limited with time, so we have to remember that God can use whatever we are willing to offer Him. Think of it as the loaves and the fishes; we offer the Lord what we have; the limited amount of resources that we have as moms, and we trust Him to do what He does.
Hi. Thank you for this post. My first reaction is a big sigh of “Amen”!
Jodi, so awesome! Isn’t God good!?
Thank you so much for the Thought Renewal Action plan! This is such a wonderful post and so encouraging. So glad I found you!:)
Jenna, I’m so glad to hear it! Please reach out if you need anything ❤️