The Gifts of Uncertainty

We’ve all been there. Maybe you are laid off a job you thought was secure. Maybe a significant relationship ends unexpectedly. Maybe a relative becomes ill or you find yourself grieving a loved one. Maybe your job relocates you and you find yourself in a city you know nothing about.

They say the only constant in life is change, and given that, we all experience uncertainty. Life-changing events can make it difficult for us to imagine what the future will look like.

I have worked as a freelance writer at various points in my career, and there have been times when it was my only source of income. I was a professional at dealing with uncertainty, especially when I didn’t have many big clients to rely on for steady work.

Often, there was no other option than to trust I would find enough work to get me through. I couldn’t spend my precious time worrying, I had to hustle. But I learned several things about uncertainty in the process.

1. Certainty is an illusion.

It may seem as if a person who has just been laid off has less certainty in their life than someone who has worked for the same company for 20 years, but that is not the case. Your company could downsize. Your job could be eliminated. Your company could merge with another company that wants to hire its own people. There could be a downturn in your industry or in the overall economy. Even if you are the owner of a company, you can never predict the success or failure of a business.

We are all in a constant state of uncertainty with the knowledge that anything could happen to us at any point. You never know when you might have a fender bender or inherit money you weren’t expecting.

We can’t deal with this level of uncertainty, so we do everything we can to secure the illusion of stability. We may take our jobs, our homes, our friends and families, and our health for granted, but the truth is, everything is temporary.

2. Change often points us in the right direction.

Many people discover a true sense of fulfillment and joy only when an uncomfortable change forces them to seek out a new direction. Maybe an unexpected job loss causes you to completely shift your career and find your calling. Maybe a landlord putting your home up for sale causes you to find a better place to live. Maybe rejection from a potential partner causes you to go out with someone you otherwise wouldn’t, and maybe it leads to a fulfilling relationship.

Change causes discomfort, but this is often what propels us into a life filled with more joy than we can imagine. How many of us pursue our own growth and development during times of comfort?

Life offers us lessons we need to learn. So the next time an unexpected change shakes up your life, ask yourself, What does this experience have to teach me?

On the surface, uncertainty seems like a negative thing. However, when you discover the truth about uncertainty, you can start to appreciate the many gifts it brings.

3. Uncertainty can teach us how to ask for help.

I acknowledge there were times I could get by as a freelancer because I had help and support from my parents. Not everyone has supportive parents with financial means, and I recognize my privilege. I only asked them for help when I felt forced to.

When unexpected change happens, it can compel us to rely on our brothers and sisters—whether those are literal brothers and sisters, friends, neighbors, acquaintances we’ve never had to rely on before, or local organizations like nonprofits and churches.

Many of us need to learn how to better ask for help, and we don’t have to wait until we are at the end of our rope. Allowing someone to help can be a gift to them. Helping each other builds community and trust. We will likely all have occasion to be a giver and a receiver.

4. Uncertainty increases trust, presence, and gratitude.

When we accept the fact that certainty is an illusion and anything could happen, we are left with two options: to worry or to trust. Trusting God and trusting ourselves allows us to be more present in our lives and think as little as possible about the future. Once we realize the same level of control exists whether we worry about the future or trust in our good, what’s the point of worrying?

Uncertainty can also prompt us to appreciate the things we have already. For example, a person who loses a job has an opportunity to appreciate home, family, and friends. A daily gratitude list can provide perspective during uncertain times, reminding us of the good we already experience.

On the surface, uncertainty seems like a negative thing. However, when you discover the truth about uncertainty, you can start to appreciate the many gifts it brings.