Day 355 Finding God in the Transition

Have I missed God in times of transition in my life? Probably. Okay, definitely.

One thing is sure about transitions, they don't let you stay in the same place. You can fight it all you want, but it will let you know, "I am here," and until you transition to the expected state you're, well, miserable.

Throughout Jesus' ministry, transitioning people from one state to another was his goal, whether it's in thought, deed, health, or words. But more often than not, people missed His transitions.

Jesus tells the rich young ruler, "If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me." The rich young ruler's response? "...he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property."

He missed Jesus’ transition because he focused on his property instead of what Jesus was offering.


How we miss God in the transition?

• The Picture is not clear. Most of the time when we approach God, we want Him to give us a clear picture of what our lives should be. (Before I relocate, I need to know where I will work, how much I will make, and what my house will look like, etc.) There is nothing wrong with this expectation--except that God tells us to "Go to a land I will show you," and not a land I have shown you. "Follow me and I will make you fishers or men," not follow me because I have made you fishers of men. The picture becomes clearer as we follow.

• The Assignment is too daunting. It's interesting how the Bible describes the rich young ruler. He is first rich, he is then young, and he rules. To transition him, Jesus reaches to the very core of who he is: give it all up. Yes, he could have given it up, but would he have risked being poor and not rule at the expense of his reputation? The assignment to do such a thing was too daunting, so he settled when he was supposed to transition.

• The Timing is not right. Samuel Chand said, "When you are 100% sure, you are too late." We often approach life with an attitude of "it needs to feel right" before we can make that change. But is there a situation in our lives or in the Bible where the timing felt 100% right? It says, In His time, He makes all things beautiful--not our time. When people who wanted to follow Jesus needed more time to finish off their personal business, Jesus said that "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God."

Do we miss God in our transitions because of lack of trust, lack of faith, or fear of the unknown? It's really not worth it to miss God in His transitions of our lives because of our own insecurities towards Him, not so much the situation. It's worth the risk to go for it with God and not be afraid of the transitions because God's transitions always leads to transformation.

Believe Him when He says, "I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plan to give you a hope and an expected end. " (Jeremiah 29:11)
 
 Look for God in the transition from a year in New Mexico. He's there, ready to lead you in to greater faith and ministry. Love, Mom