Handling change at work

Mon, 23 Jan 2023

‘To everything there is a season.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1

When change happens in the workplace, we often feel threatened. We get used to the personalities of our co-workers and bosses, and we want them to remain in place, stay the same, and require nothing more from us than what we have given in the past. We fail to prepare for instability, uncertainty, and surprises because of our desire for stability, security, and predictability. How ironic! If we were willing to adjust our expectations and be more realistic, we wouldn’t be so traumatised when change comes. Things can change overnight. It may be the loss of a parent, or a job, or your health.

Change is the only constant in life. And it has the potential to move you on to better things or flatten you like a steamroller. The choice is yours. ‘To everything there is a season.’ The truth is, God is your only secure anchor in life, so if you’re wise, you will build a strong relationship with Him. Ultimately, He will never allow you to depend on anything but Him.

Here is Elijah’s story: ‘The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning… and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.’ (1 Kings 17:6–7 NKJV) Elijah may have panicked, but God didn’t. ‘The word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath… and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”’ (1 Kings 17:8–9 NKJV)

Notice what God used to provide for Elijah: ravens, a brook, and a penniless widow. So, enjoy your job, excel in it, but depend only on God!