image courtesy of Aaron Tesauro
Transition is No Different Than Suffering
While it can be very scary, transition is so good. Transition breaks you into a new level of trust. It allows you to dream what your life can be like. Transition brings life to your soul and spirit.
Transition makes you stare your beliefs in the face. Do you really believe that God will lead me? Do I believe that where He will lead me is somewhere I want to go? Can I trust that He loves me enough to not forget about me?
“We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5
In reality transition is no different than suffering. Transition brings pain. You have to learn new ways of doing things. You often have to learn to work with new people. But, because you have God, you hold on to the belief that God has something good (Romans 8:28). James expounds on Paul’s thoughts by showing the steps from suffering to perseverance.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:2-4
Hope is Not Some Head in the Sand Thinking
Faith is to be tested if you want to attain to perseverance, character, and hope. The testing period is not God’s displeasure on you or Him giving you the cold shoulder. God is always thinking of you. He’s always planning good things for you. He loves you.
Hope is not some head in the sand thinking. Hope is confidently based on previous experience of faith being rewarded. You may not know how God is going to come through but you hope because you know God’s love for you.
Therefore dream of the life you always wanted. Extravagantly plan. Our Father who lavishes his blessings on those He loves will not disappoint (Ephesians 1:7-9). He is willing and able to abundantly more than we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Is there anything too good that you can dream of that God doesn’t want to give you? He may tweak those dreams to give you something better, but He can’t tweak what you don’t give Him.
New Year’s are typically times of resolutions as we transition into a new year. I, personally, am facing a transition stepping out in faith. Let’s use this time to dream about what life could be like. Take those to our loving Father and relish the way He supports that desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4)