Time To Shift

“Finally home,” she thought to herself as she pulled into the garage. She was tired from another long day at work and was ready to kick off her shoes, grab a hot meal, and settle onto the couch with her phone. She’d just finished watching a funny dance video when another post caught her attention. Someone was talking about nursing school and the journey it took to get there. She paused and kept reading. She’d been thinking about a career change and had even looked into nursing programs. But she’d have to work and go to school at the same time, study at night, give up some of her free time, and make sacrifices with family and friends. She was tired of the job she had, but staying where she was suddenly seemed a whole lot easier.

We’ve all been there. We want something to change, but we also know that change can be uncomfortable. Sometimes God may be moving us toward something new, but making that shift means stepping away from what’s familiar. It could be taking a class to learn a new skill, making changes in the way we live, starting a Bible study group, or starting a business. Whatever it is, a shift requires movement. Abraham experienced that kind of change when God called him to leave his country and go to a place he didn’t know. The Bible says, “he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb 11:8). He didn’t have the whole path laid out in front of him. He had to trust God enough to take the first step.

But before we make a shift, we need to make sure we’re moving in the right direction. We should pray about what’s in front of us, but we also need to use discernment. Not every opportunity, feeling, desire, or open door is necessarily from God. We should examine it, compare the decision with God’s Word, consider how it affects others, and consider our motives. It’s okay to want something, but we need to make sure that our desire is in line with God’s will. We don’t want to confuse our voice with God’s voice. Scripture tells us to “test all things” and hold on to what is good (1 Thess 5:21). Discernment isn’t meant to keep us from moving, but it helps make sure we’re moving in the right direction.

Once we’ve prayed, considered what the Bible teaches about the decision, and examined our motives, it’s time to make the shift. The truth is we may never feel completely ready and we may never have complete certainty about what lies ahead. There may always be something that makes staying where we are feel easier. But if we believe God is leading us somewhere new, we have to be willing to move. Faith means trusting God even when we can’t see the whole path ahead. As Paul reminds us, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). Don’t be afraid to get uncomfortable. Take the first step with confidence, for we know that God is with us every step of the way.

Think about it.