On top of all the life changes I have already documented in this column over the years, things just keep changing. It’s like my writing them down can’t stop more changes from coming.

Not far into the new year, a certain large national retailer with a local buying office decided to consolidate operations and close its Twin Cities headquarters. In my wife’s brief time working for said retailer, she has experienced three different corporate ownerships, and now the complete shutdown of her office. She is joined by roughly 949 other people looking for work in a tough job market.

And not long after that, my absolute favorite eatery in all of Minneapolis, Maxwell’s American Café, caught fire and was destroyed—on one of the coldest days of winter. Most of you might be thinking, “You categorize loss of employment and loss of a favorite restaurant as similar unforeseen life changes?”

When you put it like that, it sounds silly. But I assure you, this place was not just a restaurant to me and my friends. Maxwell’s was a core piece of our social network. Since my college days, various friends would gather there on a weekly basis for wings and community/friendship building.

Of course, none of us referred to it as community/friendship building—but that’s what it really was. Our weekly gatherings became a long-standing and vital connection point to share life together on a regular basis and make sure to rest and enjoy each other.

Maxwell’s sponsored one of our broomball teams, and I don’t know this for sure, but it would seem that two of our team trophies that rested on the mantel there are likely gone, along with a source of livelihood for many staff members who became like friends. Our most regular waitress knew many of us by name and would often bring us “the usual” before a word was even spoken.

Of all the buildings in all the Twin Cities …. Yup, it appears life is full of uncertainty.

In times like these—when uncertainty rears its fearless head in full force—it is incumbent upon believers to ask, “What does our faith tell us to do with all of this?”

It seems to me that uncertainty is most present in life when unwelcome change intrudes. Human nature tells us very plainly, but often subtly, to cling to the things that make us comfortable. Our instinct is to grasp on to whatever brings stability, prosperity, safety, health, love, approval, companionship, and so on.

The hard part of following Jesus—as opposed to believing in and loving Jesus—would appear to be denying self and trusting God, earnestly seeking his will rather than our own. In this reality, uncertainty and change would seem to be the only things that are certain—and worry becomes the immediate burden.

Thankfully, the Bible does have something to teach about worrying in a worldly context. Matthew 5:31-34 says, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I don’t often use Christian clichés, but these situations seem to demand that we “let go and let God.”