“Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Richard got his big break when a tornado roared through town and damaged much of the inventory in his small chain of high-end electronics stores. Rather than bemoaning his bad luck, Richard and his team immediately began digging for the ‘golden ring of opportunity’ they knew was buried beneath the rubble. They quickly organized a tornado sale, where they discounted their remaining inventory and let customers pick it right off the shelves of their undamaged warehouse.

The sale was a huge success, so much so that Richard eventually changed to a discount warehouse model permanently. At the time of the tornado, the chain had about fewer than a dozen stores. Today, it has over 1400 all over the world. You may have heard of it – it’s called Best Buy. You could say Best Buy got its start when its founder, Richard Schulz, was nearly wiped out by a tornado.

Today, many of us are experiencing the effects of a virtual tornado that has torn through our economy with awesome strength and fury. Jobs have been lost, mortgages foreclosed, cars repossessed, bills left unpaid, and relationships strained to the breaking point. A survey of the daily headlines points to doom and gloom, and hope seems faint and scarce.

But there is good news amidst the ‘rubble’ of change, or the disruption, fear, and uncertainty left in the wake of this economic storm: Change always creates opportunities. There is always a ring in the rubble, but you have to go find it, and I’m going to share with you how. Below are some tools to help you dig through the rubble of change in your life to find the golden ring of opportunity that lies within.

Handling Change

Recognize change is not a bad thing. Change, in and of itself, is not bad. In fact, change is the essence of life. As William Safire once wrote, “when you’re through changing, you’re through.” It’s how we handle change that makes all the difference. If we see it as an opportunity to grow, we will. Conversely, if we see it as an obstacle to growth, it will be. That’s not to say change is always easy—far from it.

Change, especially surprising or unwanted change such as losing a job or loved one, can be very difficult and extremely painful. But if you believe there is good to be found in a bad situation, you give yourself a chance to find it. It may be helpful to remember that God is always in the rubble, too. There is no change that is too big for Him to handle. When change hits, rather than bemoaning your fate or staying stuck where you are, trust Him and get digging for that ring instead.

You Are Not Alone

Use painful change as an opportunity to get closer to God. When life is easy and things go the way we want and expect, we may begin to take our blessings for granted. Therefore, use painful change as an opportunity to get closer to God. It’s when we need God the most that He wants to comfort us the most. Let tough times remind you that you are not alone, that you can’t do it alone, and that He is always there, through good times and bad. Pray that He will be right there digging for the ring along side you, and His presence will sustain you. And, when time passes and things change for the better (as they always do), carry that strengthened relationship forward and build it from there. 

Looking to God, Not Man

Don’t expect loved ones to provide the peace and comfort that only God can provide. Change can create pressure, and as the pressure builds, we naturally turn to those we are closest to for comfort and emotional support. But recognize that change is very likely impacting your loved ones too, and they are also feeling the pressure. Unlike God, our emotional reserves can run dry. We may have little left over to give one another. Therefore, rather than turning to each other for sustenance, together turn towards God and pray for His strength and guidance as you dig for the ring. Pray for His power to help build your relationship during times of strain, and that you will not look to others to give you the comfort that only He can provide. By so doing, He will sustain you and help you grow closer to one another, as together, you grow closer to Him.

Letting Go

Forgive: Let go of whatever is holding you down or holding you back. It is practically impossible to grasp new opportunities when we are clutching onto old wounds and resentments. It is natural to feel anger and perhaps bitterness at first when you feel wronged, perhaps by a company that has let you go, or by a personal relationship turned sour. Holding onto that anger or bitterness only hurts you over the long run. Potential employers may shy away from hiring someone with a soured attitude, and new relationships may become contaminated before they’ve begun. 

Forgiveness is a powerful tool for letting go. Pray that God will lift the burdens you carry, by helping you forgive those whom you perceive burdened you to begin with. Forgiveness brings freedom, and freedom brings energy, and energy brings life. Forgive others to free yourself.

Unchanging Truth

Latch on to your core values and what matters most. While change is the essence of life, some things should never change. Your core values fall in that category. When times are tough, the hour dark, and you are not sure where to turn next, your core values will guide you. As Christians, of course, we find those values and practical guidance in the eternal word of God, passed on to us via the Bible. While regular Bible study is always a good idea, it is particularly important and comforting to rely on God’s word and unchanging truth when it seems as if everything else in your life is changing and your world has been turned upside down.

Returning to the Word again and again is like returning to a safe harbor. It is a place of refuge and revival that will support you when change has begun to wear you down and wear you out. With daily Bible study and reflection, you’ll begin your dig anew each day with the confidence that God’s truth reigns in life, come what may.

This is Bigger Than You

Focus on a cause larger than your self. Repeat after me: I am not the center of the universe. When change hits it is easy get caught up in our own experience and believe no one else has ever gone through anything like it before. In fact, nearly the opposite is true. Whatever you are going through, others likely have gone through it many times before. We all experience health and sickness, gain and loss, life and death. As we have seen, it is how we respond to that change that makes all the difference.

One of the best ways to respond is to reach out beyond yourself to help others. When you focus on helping someone else, when you focus on a cause larger than yourself, your problems will begin to fade in significance. It’s possible, even, that God has us experience painful change so we can learn from it to help others when they go through something similar. Helping others get through change is one of the best ways I know to help yourself get through it, too.

Change is the great equalizer. It impacts us all. God is the Great Ruler, and He loves us all. Where He creates rubble, He also creates rings. If we trust Him and dig for the ring He has provided, even the most difficult change and times of our lives will eventually lead to us to something good and something better. God is there in the good times, and He is in the rubble too. Digging for the ring only brings us closer to Him.


Dr. Gary Bradt is a keynote speaker on leading change and the author of The Ring in the Rubble: Dig Through Change and Find Your Next Golden Opportunity (McGraw-Hill, 2007). Go to www.GaryBradt.com for more information.