Seeking God in Seasons of Change: Why Prayer Must Be Our First Response

Change is inevitable. We know it’s coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier when it arrives. As I reflect on the journey our congregation is taking — especially as we move into a period of leadership transition — I’m reminded of the powerful lesson from Acts 1:12-26. It’s a passage that speaks profoundly about how we are called to respond when everything around us feels uncertain.

In those moments, I’m convinced that prayer must become our first response — not our last fallback.

Learning from the Early Church

As I prepared to preach this message, I found myself sitting with the apostles in Acts 1. They were fresh off the most transformational events of their lives: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. They had spent precious time with Him after His resurrection, only to watch Him ascend into heaven.

And now, they faced a critical transition. One of their own, Judas, was gone. There was a vacancy among the apostles, and they needed to move forward. But how did they respond to this pivotal moment?

They prayed.

Scripture tells us they were “all together constantly in prayer” (Acts 1:14). Before they made a single decision, before they developed a plan or laid out qualifications for a new apostle, they sought God. They didn’t rush. They didn’t strategize. They slowed down and committed themselves to prayer.

That image has stayed with me — a group of leaders, at one of the most uncertain moments in their lives, pressing into God first.

Prayer: The Anchor in Uncertainty

I’ve seen it in my own life — and I’m sure you have too — that when uncertainty strikes, our first instinct is often to take control. We want to create a plan, solve the problem, and move on. But the apostles’ example reminds us that real strength, real direction, comes when we anchor ourselves in prayer first.

Prayer slows us down. It forces us to wait, to listen, and to seek the guidance of the One who already knows the outcome. In times of transition — whether it’s a leadership change, a personal decision, or a shift in life’s circumstances — prayer is what holds us steady.

It’s not just about asking for help after we’ve tried and failed. Prayer is about positioning ourselves at the feet of God, trusting Him to lead before we even take the first step.

Starting with Prayer, Not Preference

One of the key points I shared with our congregation was this: Start every conversation about leadership with prayer, not preference.

It’s human nature to lean on our personal opinions when big decisions come. We might say, “I think so-and-so would be a great elder,” or “We really need someone like this or that.” And while it’s not wrong to have ideas, if preference becomes our guide instead of prayer, we’re heading down a dangerous road.

Preferences can divide. Prayer unites.

When we start with prayer, we’re inviting God to be at the center of the process. We’re acknowledging that His wisdom is greater than ours and that His plan is better than anything we could create. That’s exactly what the apostles did — they prayed, asked God to reveal His choice, and trusted His leading.

Praying for Future Leaders

As we navigate this season, one of the things I challenged our congregation to do is to start praying now for the men who will eventually become our new elders — even if they don’t know it yet.

Maybe you feel like you’re not ready to lead. Maybe the thought of stepping into a bigger role in the church feels overwhelming. But Scripture is full of examples of people who didn’t feel qualified: Moses, David, Gideon. And yet, God called them, equipped them, and used them mightily.

If you’re reading this and feeling a nudge in your heart, I encourage you to pray about it. Open yourself to what God might be preparing you for — even if it’s not what you had planned.

And for all of us, let’s commit to praying for our future leaders — that God would prepare their hearts, give them courage, and guide them into the roles He has in store.

Unity Through Prayer

Leadership transitions can be tricky. They can either divide us or launch us into a new season of growth and renewal. Satan would love nothing more than to use times of change to sow discord and disunity.

But prayer can protect us.

When we stay prayerful, we stay unified. When we seek God’s will above our own, we stand strong together. I’m asking our congregation — and maybe you too — to pray for unity. Pray that as we move forward, we’ll do so as a body bound together by the Spirit of God.

A Call to Seek First

I want to leave you with this thought:

Prayer must become our first response, not our final fallback.

In every conversation, every decision, every transition — start with prayer. Seek God first, not after everything else has failed. Trust that He’s already at work in ways you can’t see, and believe that His plans are always for our good and His glory.

As a church family, we’re setting aside every Thursday as a day of prayer during this transition. I invite you to join us — pray for wisdom, pray for unity, and most of all, pray that God’s will would be done.

Because in seasons of change, seeking God is the best place to start.