If you’re like me, then transitioning can be a tough thing to do. I like my routines, I’m not a fan of last minute schedule changes, and I am definitely not a huge fan of the unknown. Not to bore you with medical jargon, but I believe the technical term for my diagnosis in this area, is that I am a “control freak.” My personality is one that just wants to know exactly where I am, what I’m doing there, and where we’re going next. When seasons of transition come along, my grip on the controls of my life start to slip and I am prone to extra stress and concern and worry.
There are a lot of young people who are about to find themselves in a serious season of transition with Graduation from high school, or college and that worry and fear of the unknown and the feeling of losing some control can be so difficult. I think a lot of parents even are experiencing those exact same fears for their children. The way we are able to transition is such a big deal though, it’s such a pivotal point in our lives, if we know how to transition well from one thing to the next it has this way of providing peace and rest even in a difficult season.
Would you like to know the secret to transitioning well? The secret to navigating the seasons of life with minimal fallout or stress or worry? Come close, I’ll tell you… go ahead… lean in…
Faith.
It seems like such a cheese-ball cop-out answer but it couldn’t be any more true. If we want to see ourselves navigate the unstable waters of transition then we have to maintain and see our faith strengthened that God indeed is the sovereign God that the scriptures say He is. Read Matthew 14:22-33 and notice the response Jesus gives to Peter when he begins to sink into the water that he had been standing on. “O, you of little faith…” We have to stop focusing on ourselves and the control that WE have over our situations because that control can be ripped out from under us in an INSTANT. We must have faith that God can provide us with all we need to navigate any season with grace and peace.
And don’t forget this, faith that God is in control doesn’t mean that we can expect no struggle or storms.
Our faith is simply that the God who controls and commands the storms knows where we are, He knows where we’re struggling, and He knows all our fears. If we lean on Him we can have faith that no transition will get the better of us because we have a hope that will last into eternity, in the God who spun the entire universe into motion, and that He will carry us through.
Spend some time meditating on these promises from scripture about the hope we can find in Christ through our life’s transitions.
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
–Proverbs 16:9
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
-Jeremiah 17:7-8
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
Yes! The Bible has many examples of folks who transitioned, who endured. It’s more the norm in our walk of faith. We do well to share this especially with new believers. Perhaps we can help to keep the from a shipwreck of their faith.
Good stuff, Eli. Going through a devotional from Louie Giglio’s new book, “Goliath Must Fall”, and this stood out to me in regard to facing our fears: “The opposite of fear isn’t courage but faith.” Simple but so true.
On a personal note, your blog really speaks to me since my husband and I are right there, heading into a rather complicated transition, which involves moving, job change, you name it. Thanks for the encouragement!