In speaking with several people as of late, it is becoming more and more apparent that many are in the midst of major transition(s) in their lives. Some are transitioning jobs, while others are relocating. Some are just tired of what has been and are seeking self transition. Why, even our nation is in the midst of transition be it the economy, the economy, and even the economy!
They say that the only thing that never changes is the fact that there will always be changes. You can either embrace change, or let it run right over you. But make no mistake- there will be changes.
Transitions can be scary. There’s the fear of the unknown! The trouble of having to break out of a routine. The need to learn something new, and may be even completely different. There’s also the frustration of having to start completely over! Transitions are probably as welcome as that wet kiss from your Aunt Gertrude who has no front teeth, bad breath and a mustache! But like that nasty kiss, transition is coming to land on you!
The real struggle, at least from my vantage point, is not the actual action that is taking place in my life, but rather the mental and emotional strains that it produces in me. The Bible tells us, do not worry, but sometimes that seems almost impossible. Yeah, I know the scriptures- cast your cares on Him, His yoke is not heavy and His burden is light, all things are working together for the good, and on and on and on… But what about right here and right now!
I remember going through a remarkable experience about 4 years ago. I was working and yet I had nothing in the bank, due to a series of little catastrophic events. I was overdrawn, and my gas got disconnected. This is not a good situation for a man who has a wife and four kids. We could not use our stove because it is a gas stove. We could not heat our water because, well … no gas! And to top it all off- we were almost out of food!
Honestly, I had never been in such a bind- ever! The despair that sunk in was unbelievably hard to deal with, and yet life demanded that we go on! I was stunned. I would ask God, “How could you let this happen?” “What did I do, or not do?” I was dumbfounded, to say the least. I was ANGRY, to say the most!
I would pray, but felt so numb inside. I had not mismanaged my finances. I had been doing all the right things. Why would God allow me to endure this embarrassment?
I remember re-assuring my older children that God had a plan and a reason for allowing us to walk through this. That He would not allow us to go under, and that it would all make sense soon. And yet when they were not looking, I had my head buried in my pillow, screaming and crying out to God, just trying to keep the Faith!
To make a long story short, God did have his reasons, and much of it was to get my attention concerning a major shift in my life. You see this happened while I had a job and finances in the bank. As far as I was concerned, things were looking pretty good. But what I didn’t know was that God was about to ask me to walk out on to nothing. No job, no savings, and to trust.
I found out that my trust was in my JOB and my SAVINGS account. God needed to re-align my vision. The process was ugly, hurtful and humiliating… but also necessary to prepare me for where He was about to take me.
When I had finally hit the bottom, He came through. Groceries came from no where. Money came from a very unlikely source, in a very strange place. My gas was restored! It was all very miraculous, and that was His point.
It would be about four weeks later that God would ask me to step out from that job and walk through another door of transition. This time there would be no job, at all… nada! There would be no bank account to rely upon, only Him! It was probably the greatest transition that I have ever experienced, but it was the greatest decision that I ever made.
There are many awesome facets to that transition. God literally sustained me without a formal job for a whole year! That was incredible, to say the least. Doors would open each and every week for me to go and minister, and other doors that provided financially in other ways. My children got to view first hand, the awesomeness of God and His ability to provide things supernaturally. In that one year period, I never had anything disconnected, never went without the necessities of life, nor was embarrassed for putting my trust in Him. What I could not do with a job, he did for me without. It was all awesome!
But honestly, while those are great things to focus on, they were not the greatest. The greatest thing that I walked away from that experience with was the fact that I got the opportunity to KNOW GOD in a way that I had never known Him before, as my PROVIDER!
So the next time that you are starring a transition in the face, don’t cower! Yes, it will be uncomfortable. Yes, it will frustrate you. Yes, it will challenge you. Yes, it will cause you to change! But who knows… it just might be God that you find on the other side of the door! Go through!
