Scary But Exciting Times

For months Mark has been stressed about his job. He's been overworked, overburdened, overwhelmed. He works so hard, and so well, to provide for our family, and it was painful to watch be under that pressure all the time. I turned to scripture.
Jesus tells us "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." Matthew 11:28-30
The yoke that Jesus talks about is a heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox. It is attached to a piece of equipment that the oxen are to pull. People may be carrying heavy burdens of their own, but Jesus promises to free us from these. The yoke refers to the challenges, the work, the difficulties. Jesus doesn't say that a life with Him will be problem free, but He says it will be a shared yoke, with the weight falling on bigger shoulders than our own.
I started to really hold on to this scripture and pray for Mark all the time. I asked God to shoulder some of Mark's burden, to relieve him of his stress and anxiety and worries about work. I asked for answers and guidance and direction for Mark. I began to ask daily if Mark should keep this job? Should he pursue another position? Is there something else for him? I asked for God to reveal his will for us.
After weeks and weeks of praying and seeking and asking for God's involvement, Mark came home early last Tuesday afternoon and told me that he and his company had decided to part ways.
I'll admit, this answer wasn't really what I had in mind, and I was a little scared and nervous, but I was also weirdly excited and giddy. I was certain in that moment that God was intimately involved in this and it was thrilling.
Over the past week, my faith has been stronger than ever. I never would have imagined that a scary time like this would also be a time that I felt the closest and most sure of God's hand in my life. I am certain that good things are on the rise for our family. In Proverbs 3:6 we are told "Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." I have been praying for answers, for direction and guidance. I have been asking God to show Mark and I what He wants us to do. I believe that He has plans for our family that are far better than we could come up with on our own. I have found such peace and comfort from Romans 8:28, where Paul says "We know that God causes EVERYTHING to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
As Mark continues to look for work, I will continue to thank God for his faithfulness, for his promises, for his love and devotion to my family. I will be anxious and excited to see how He will use this time to draw my family closer to Him. And I will cling to Philippians 4:6-7 where I am told "Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand."