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The say that “all good things must come to an end”, but the truth is that all things, whether good, bad, hurtful or joyful do come to an end. It could be a good or bad marriage ending through loss or divorce. A place of employment, good or bad, through loss, retirement, termination or resignation. A friendship, healthy or toxic, through loss or a disagreement (or even just time or distance). All things truly do come to an end. It’s a sad, but inevitable fact of life.

The question becomes “How do we handle it?”.

We like to say, “When one door closes another one opens”. It’s a feel good. Its not always true. And even when another one opens its not always into the same environment, relationship, or circumstances that we were in before.

We come back to, “How do we handle it?”. If it was a good situation, job, or relationship, we should take the time to mourn it and grieve it. Get those feelings out before walking through the next “door.” Celebrate what you had and then rejoice in the new opportunity.

If it was a bad situation, job or relationship, we should rejoice that we have been set free from it and also give thanks for the next glorious opportunity. Embrace those feelings and work through them.

In either case, there are always mixed emotions. There was a quote from a popular film years ago that asked, “Which ‘R’ do you feel? Relief or Regret? You may feel them both, but truly you feel one more than the other”.

In any and all situations, if we are being faithful to Christ and following God’s leading, we should feel relief. Relief in knowing we are doing His will. Relief from guilt or shame or regret because we know we are following his direction. The key in all things; relationship, work, situations, is to be seeking God faithfully and in being faithful to Him.

Romans 8:26-28 reads as follows: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose”.

Even if you made a choice that others say were bad, but you feel good about; or a choice that others rejoice about and you feel restless or unnerved by, if you made that choice being faithful to God’s counsel and following Christ’s leading, then rest assured, your faithfulness will be rewarded. Even if you or others can’t see it in the immediate times. He will bless you through that faithfulness.

Rev. Barry Vassar is pastor at Fitzgerald Memorial Baptist. He can be reached at fitzgeraldmemorial@gmail.com.