Moving Forward After a Layoff: Embracing the Next Season

At 5 p.m., I grabbed my box and headed to the door. It was a bittersweet departure. I would no longer work side by side with my coworkers—but I also wouldn’t have to worry about the constant ups and downs of contract renewals anymore. Most of my coworkers smiled and laughed, but underneath, they were hurt and concerned. Many felt betrayed. If procedures had been followed, egos left at home, and honesty had prevailed—the theme of the day—perhaps we would all still have a job.

Layoffs are the norm. But the despair and pain that often accompany them shouldn’t be. If you’ve ever been laid off, you understand the feeling. There’s a pain, an emptiness, a “What did I do?” that lingers after leaving a job you dedicated your time and skills to.

During one of my nonprofit, grant-funded layoffs, I asked myself: How can I reconcile another layoff with the work I do to help others—especially those who still need help?

Back then, employers gave hope with statements like, “As soon as we have new openings, apply online.” If you were a favorite, you might get referred to a friend who had a job opening. Otherwise, you filed for unemployment and spent weeks—or months—sending out résumés and attending hiring events.

The employment landscape has changed. Degrees are no longer the coveted paper of the day—specific skills rule. It can feel daunting, especially when forward movement is blocked by grief from the past season.

But here’s the good news, beloved: you can silence the voice of grief. You can cast it out of your life and move forward with joy and momentum.

1. Accept That Times Change

Ecclesiastes reminds us: “There is a time and a season for every purpose under heaven.” Life is cyclical—joy and sorrow, birth and death, beginnings and endings. Our walk with God is about how we handle those cycles.

There was a season when you were called to work in a certain place. Now, that season has ended. Viewing life through a seasonal lens helps you see the Kairos moments—those divine, appointed times when God says, “Now.” Unlike Chronos (natural time), Kairos is God's perfect timing to shift you into something new.

2. Know That God Is with You

There are things God is doing in your life that require movement—and momentum. If He is with you, then wherever He leads is aligned with His will and purpose. But you must be willing to accept the change and trust that He is with you.

Many people prefer the old because it’s predictable and comfortable. But what joy is there in staying stuck in routine? How does God get the glory from a life where you no longer grow?

He stretches us in unfamiliar places. He grows us when we’re tested in small beginnings. Those seasons when you must start over are often where you learn, grow, and develop new perspectives.

3. Sometimes You Have to Leave Old People Behind

You may have had a good run with certain people, but not everyone is meant to go with you into your next season. Evaluate your relationships. Ask: Is this person helping me grow, or holding me back?

Let God strip away relationships that no longer serve your purpose. Make room for connections that add value. If someone isn’t adding or multiplying, they may be subtracting—or dividing.

4. See This as an Adventure

Every departure, every transition—it’s an adventure. It may be risky or scary, but God says, “Lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Be open to the new. God is in control—let Him be.

This new season could eclipse everything you’ve experienced before. One day, you may look back and realize that your whole world changed the moment you let the Lord take away your grief and launched into something new.

5. Don’t Look Back

You’ve accomplished great things—take delight in them. Reflect. Write them down. Use them in interviews and pitches. But don’t stay stuck there. Whatever you’ve done, there’s more.

Even in the areas where you fell short, ask God to help you grow. Focus on Him. Scripture tells us, “Don’t look to the left or the right,” because distractions can lead us off course.

Sometimes that means turning off social media, skipping the movies, and simply focusing on God. In that place, grief begins to fade. Worry lifts. Peace returns.

Final Thoughts: Let Grief Go

Take a class. Join a prayer group. Read books. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.” Fix your mind on Christ—on what is lovely, pure, and of good report—and peace will come. It will silence grief.

Scripture tells us to “Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee.” Grief is not of God. While there’s a time for mourning, we are not meant to worship it or stay in that place. You cannot receive new things from God and live in grief at the same time.

So, beloved, be encouraged: you don’t have to hold on to the grief of past seasons. Let it go. You are living in a Kairos moment with a magnificent God who has great plans for your life.

According to Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

You are an overcomer. God is leading you from glory to glory. Take heart—and take the next step toward your momentous future.

Need help deciding the next step? Book a Clarity Call today at https://calendly.com/destinytrainerllc/clarity-call!