By Chloe Grabeman
Change, transition, uncertainty. Not exactly the words we crochet on a pillow that make our hearts warm and secure. But they seem to be the only things in this life that remain constant. Sometimes they hit us unexpectedly and other times we’ve known of the expiration date from day one.
A journey over, a new one to come.
Maybe you are in the midst or approaching a transition. About to graduate and leave the safety and security of close friends and mentors, wondering if you will ever truly feel equipped.
Moving on from a beloved relationship, learning how to walk without them by your side.
Or staying behind while others are heading in different directions, trying to find your purpose alone.
Like a child clings to their parent’s side the first day kindergarten, afraid to venture into the unknown alone, so we cling to the safety of our familiar seasons, terrified we will sink beneath uncertain grounds.
What is God’s purpose for us in times of transition?
How are we supposed to deal with the heartbreak we feel when something so dear is coming to an end?
There is no way around the fact, seasons of change are painful, chaotic, and often lonely. But this isn’t their sole intention. When traveling from one season to the next, we often hear, “God, the master artisan, is carefully and skillfully molding, chiseling, and refining us to bring us closer to his final masterpiece.” Though the completed product is a wonder to behold, the process requires uncomfortable pressure, painful extractions, and hard to escape temptations. But somewhere along the way we have come to believe real strength, faith, and dependence in God comes when we bear all the hardships alone. We forget God can do more than one thing at a time. He is the great multi – tasker and is often found where we least expect him.
Our Lord not only molds you sifts you, and refines you through the fires of uncertainty, but he is also big enough to walk with you in the process, giving you the hope and strength to let go of one season and walk steadily into the next.
Learning to seek God in our unknown valleys is his intention in these seasons of change. He is not too busy working within you to see and care for your pain and heartbreak.
His compassion is not limited to the start and finish line, but can be found between the lines, right next to you even when it seems you can’t even hear his whispers. It is here you must remember Jesus’ promise for those faithfully venturing into unknown journeys:
He is with you always, to the end of the age.
Always by your side. Always your strength and hope. No longer alone on foreign soil, but walking next to the one who designed the path, giving you hope along the way.
As these journeys of change mold and shape you, seek Christ between the lines and within the pain of your transition. Let his hope guide your perception in ways you never expected.
- Song List:
- I won’t let you go – Switchfoot
- Never Run Dry – Housefires
- Close Behind – Joseph Holm
- Empty my Hands – Tenth Avenue North
Check them out on the Real and True Playlist on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/user/128815512/playlist/3YfqgeMjEUj7ZB8ydKd5qL