Making Transitions

A number of years ago I preached a series of messages on following God.  One of the quotes that came out of those messages, not original to me, was - “WOW, What a Ride!”  In fact, we had a few tee shirts designed and sold.  The front of the shirt read  “Here I am Lord… send me.”  The back of the tee shirt read “Wow, what a ride!”

Transitions are about taking a step or a series of steps that make up a journey as you move from one place to the next.  Sometimes that journey can be quite a ride. Transitions can be fun, exciting, apprehensive, and fearful all at the same time. They can be forced upon you and even created in a crisis.  One minute your predictable life seemed to be sailing along well and the next minute you find yourself choking because you are gulping sea water.  You are desperately looking for anything you can hold on to that will keep you afloat.  Transitions can frequently be fraught with “suddenlies.”  There was no time to man the lifeboat or even buckle on a life jacket or even send out an SOS for help.  The good news is that God knows your coordinates on the map and the rescue team has been dispatched.  You will make it but you will get wet.

Don’t we all wish that transitions were smooth and announced ahead of time?  Having a well-ramped transition piece in the doorway of another room with a different floor elevation is of great help.  The poorly constructed sharp edged wood transition pieces are likely to catch your toe and send you careening into the next room in the most graceful fashion.  Having a slow transition from one elevation to the next should be the goal of any good carpenter or leader.  The point is that we do not want to stumble people we want them to experience as harmless and joy filled transitions as possible.

While I was observing New England paintings on a wall one day in a restaurant musing over why they were made the way they were, a pastor friend of mine stepped up and asked the obvious question…  Do you know why they built those bridges like that?  I responded with, “Because they look cool?”  He laughed at my response.  Then he explained that in the covered wagon days that many horse drawn wagons experienced total loss of property and even life as the teams were driven through the rushing waters to the other side.  The river current would sweep them away, the horses would panic and lose their footing and the wagon contents and passengers were thrown out of the wagon as it tipped over and drifted down the river.

One day some inventive person decided to fall trees across the river and lay planks on top of the trees to make a wooden road over top the river.  Which worked fine except that the horses could still hear and see the water under them and disasters continued to take place.  Then came the invention of the eye blinders.  The horses did not frighten nearly so much even though they could still hear and see the water by turning their heads.

Finally, someone built what looked like a barn.  The idea was to make the horses feel like they were going home.  They were safe because of a well-built infrastructure and an environment was created that brought peace.  They could make what was a life threatening transition now safely without the fear of disaster.

One of the traits of a good leader is to learn how to build good bridges across what could be fearful and damaging river crossings.  Those crossings may be likened to changing physical locations, job responsibilities, building construction projects, altering a long standing church traditions, etc.

In Swaziland, Africa there is a greeting using the word “Ya-bo” (sp).  It simply means… I see you!  God sees you right where you are and at whatever stage you are in making your transition.  Trust in God' s foreknowledge. We see only in part. Until we see as God sees we have to lean on his ability to know what is coming in the days ahead.

For most of us, if we had a sneak preview of what was coming down the road ahead of us, we may not have embarked on the journey in the first place.  Abraham and many people listed in Hebrews chapter eleven pleased God because they trusted Gods foreknowledge and the faith to press to lay hold of what could not be seen in the natural.  Looking back at the journey, we are profoundly grateful for God’s faithfulness and love.  What a privilege to be part of what He is doing.

1) Transitions should be always predicated upon God's purposes.  The word purpose means something that is deliberately set forth.  Please note that I said “God's” purposes and did not say our purposes.  It is helpful to be reminded that He is Lord above all things. If He chooses to relocate someone from one side of the world to the other it is His prerogative, He is God! If God wants to take you across the river, it is for your benefit.  Across the river is where we will find the most joy filled, satisfying, and safest place to be. 

2) It is important to know that God has authored the transitions you are making.  I know of many people through the years who have made many unnecessary transitions because they were bored with their current life and misread circumstances that justified making life changes.  The real issue was not God transitioning them as much as they needed a way out of their situation.

3) Your, God directed, journey is likely not going to be quite like anyone else's, That must be okay in your own soul.  It is quite possible that others will never understand you or the choices you have made out of a clear conviction in your own heart.  You will likely be misunderstood.  Jesus said that wisdom is justified of her children. In other words, the proof is in the pudding! I have heard it said that “there are twin deceivers, success and failure, God does not want us to focus on either one but to simply be obedient.”  Obedience pleases God.  Let God sort out the

obstacles.  You have an assignment to carry out.. 

At the end of the day, we stand before God to give account for our own decisions and actions.  Think about it... we are enjoying the blessings of those who were willing to walk their own walk all by themselves simply out of obedience to God!  These are the kind of people who are history makers.  People who left their own God appointed mark that did not look like anyone else's.  Remember that God is the one who gives the dream and the ability to carry out the dream, its His idea, not yours!  Good ideas are not always Gods ideas.  Determining his idea is critical to success.

4) Finding your way.  There are no shortcuts in determining the will of God outside of the Word of God and diligent and faithful prayer.  It is my opinion that every matter of consequence needs to have a team of intercessors petitioning God for the protection and guidance that only He can provide.  People that you trust to be spiritual and hear God's voice. Listen to what they are saying to you and measure it by the Scripture and into the whole of what you are asking God for. 

Take good notes and look at those notes regularly.  Keep record of the promptings you hear from God.  Things like dreams, visions, Bible verses that stand out to you.  Pay attention to the unusual things that may be “God tracks.” Those signs that point the path to where God has already gone before you.  Listen to the wisdom of those seasoned veterans, spiritual mentors in your life who have had plenty of experience with their own journeys.  Most of all, please pay attention to whether you have the peace of God in your own soul.  The general rule of thumb is don't move if you don't have peace to move.  His peace is a clear indicator of His presence going before you and with you.  My encouragement is to not make changes without that unmistakable peace.

If in the course of your journey you find yourself off of the path.  God is faithful to set you on the correct path.  Ps.27 says that the Lord is our light and salvation.  He promises to be our light.  The problem is often found not in His failure to be a light but our choices in stepping out of the light, creating our own light, if you will.  God promises not only to be your light to get you on the path again but He is also your salvation, your deliverer.  Fear then has no place if we trust in what this scripture instructs us to do. My pastor used to say,  "God underwrites what He writes!"

Transition Reminders:

·       Timing is everything. He makes everything beautiful in its time

·       Seek Godly counsel and follow protocol to authority in making your transition

·       Be humble, gracious, filled with gratitude for where you have been

·       Be present in the present – don’t run ahead of yourself

·       Keep your anchored lowered until it is time to retrieve it and set sail.  Wherever you go, make sure you drop your anchor securely.

·       Be mindful of those you leave in your transition, do they feel abandoned?

·       Are there any relationships that need healing?

·       Be faithful to maintain relationships even after your transition

Ecc. 3:1 – For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven

Transitions are critical to fulfilling the purposes of God in your life.  Now would be a good time to pray…. Here am I Lord, send me.  Your response will likely be – Wow what a ride!