Seeking God In The Midst Of Change | By Bethany Karlberg

As a military spouse, I’m used to change. We’ve had four moves across four different states within the last four years, two short-notice deployments while adding two new babies to our family within the last two years, and one never-ending pandemic that I’m sure every person reading this relates to. Although I’m used to change, it doesn’t mean that change gets any easier. Each change has served as a pivotal moment in my life and each has had its different trials and tribulations.

Whether you’re going through a major career change, location change, or season-of-life change you should know - no, you need to know - that God is always with you. The truth about life is that life is always changing. The truth about God is that He never changes. God is always available, accessible, and at hand to walk with you as a friend.

Change can and will happen both suddenly and subtly. This past fall, my husband was deployed with only a 72-hour notice to HKIA, the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. We had just found out I was pregnant two days prior to him leaving and our son was almost 1.5 years old. It was heart-wrenching to say goodbye and watch him tear up - he’s not an emotional kind of guy - as he held our son tightly before loading up his bags.

Over the course of the next few months, I watched the events unfold with the rest of the world as the Taliban swept across the country overtaking major cities, desperate Afghans clung to aircraft as their seemingly final hope, and as an ISIS attack took the lives of some of our brothers and sisters.

I’m not going to lie, working full-time during the first trimester of pregnancy with a toddler and that kind of stress is not a situation anyone wants to be in, but I can also honestly say that God provided the strength I needed when I looked to Him. I have no idea how I could have made it through that kind of change without the strength of God who met me right where I was, in the midst of my anxiety and change.

Change has consistently been a part of my life and I am still discovering how to practically lean into God in the midst of change. In different seasons, seeking God may look different, but I always start with these three:

Pray. Incorporating prayer throughout my day is a way I intentionally seek God’s encouragement, direction, and friendship. Even when I’m busy, I take 5 minutes when I can to breathe and talk to God like I would with a close friend. Maybe it’s 5 minutes before I arrive somewhere when I have a moment to myself at lunch, when my toddler is napping, or on my daily commute.
Listen. I listen to what God is saying to me by setting a rhythm of being in His Word each morning. Whether it’s 5 minutes on the Bible app on a busy day or with a cup of coffee for a slow morning in the Word, it’s a practice to prioritize hearing from God.
Do. I am rarely 100% certain about the steps I should take, but I have the ability to listen to God’s voice, surround myself with an encouraging community of people, and step out in acts of faith.

Throughout this time of change, I had a community of women in the same situation that I was able to turn to and lean on that encouraged me to seek time with God during some of my toughest moments. What does prioritizing God in the midst of change look like for you?