Changing Seasons

Life transitions are stages or periods in our life when lots of changes take place that alters how we live, for example, our lifestyle choices, getting married, having children, the empty nest syndrome (when our children have grown up and left home), new job, losing loved ones and much more. These are indicators that change is coming and a new season of transition is upon us. Change is inevitable and constant to transform us and to propel us closer towards our purpose and destiny.

Speaking from experience, several years ago, I went through an uncomfortable transition period of leaving one church that had been my only spiritual home for more than 30 years, beginning from Sunday school to then transitioning to another church. I remember thinking at that time, I was starting all over again, years wasted, how wrong was I to think that? I was on a journey in discovering God’s plans for my life. Did I trust Him? Yes, with eyes closed! Did I accept the challenge? Absolutely, with wobbly knees! I would like to encourage you at this point - if you are experiencing uncomfortable challenges or changes in your life right now, take a deep breath and embrace it! Your present season prepares you for what comes next, to sow into your personal growth spurt and those you have an impact with, your family, work or church context.

I love what it says in ISA 43:19

"Behold! For I am about to do something new, SEE, I have already begun! Do you not see it?"

In nature throughout the year the seasons transition, from spring to summer, and autumn to winter, the seasonal cycle is a progression of change as the earth tilts its axis around the sun. This is a natural phenomenon that represents itself as dying to the old and embracing new beginnings. This takes seed time to harvest. “While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease” Gen 8:22, a process of life principles of exchange. To give something away to receive something new in exchange. Change is inevitable, change is constant, change is here to stay, just like the 4 seasons.

Our Heavenly Father already knows our present and future before our end. Do we consciously choose to trust in him with the ever-changing internal processes and development within our personal lives, within the things that we hold dear or sacred in our hearts?

How do we know when we are entering a transitional season? — One of the ways to identify this is when the things that used to work, don’t work anymore, this can be painful when you feel the light has turned off or the rug pulled from underneath your feet and you plummet to the ground. This is not the end but the beginning of learning to find beauty in a transitory season, that can lead us to beautiful places. For example, Ruth in the bible had a seemingly perfect life until her husband died and that of her sister-in-law, Orpah's, husband. We know and understand within this story that Ruth remained faithful to Naomi, Ruths Mother-in-law, even though there was no money or food or security in where they were going. Ruth’s, life-essential season of a blessed, fulfilled life had taken a nose dive. We know in this story that Ruth was faithful and remained with Naomi. For Ruth, this was a transitory journey, from nowhere to somewhere. The circumstances in Ruth’s life with Naomi had a happy ending, as Ruth became Boaz’s wife, restoring all her securities of provision and then later on through the Lineage of Ruth, Jesus enters the world. Things happen in our lives that we have no control or influence over, God knows the end from the beginning. Is God speaking to you?

Some of us struggle internally to adjust to these essential life changes. We cannot see the way forward like Ruth in the bible. Through grieving something we have lost; we pine and want to go back to what was familiar to us. Our previous set plans to follow are no longer what we were used to, and yet we also want to stand up and move to the next seat towards our hopes and dreams, holding onto past strong memories, whilst glimpsing at the season to come. Are you struggling internally with changes in your life? Come on, be honest with yourself!

Here are some key points that I learnt when I experienced transitional moments in my life, and by the way, still going through them!

1. Don’t look back to what was, but look forward to what is, which leads us to a beautiful destination, that teaches us so much about ourselves and the people around us. In this transient place, learn to listen to God. Be still, and know that He is your Heavenly Father who deeply cares for you, He's got this!

2. Approach changes from a different mindset. Re-purpose the old into a new purpose, bringing difference and fresh new life. Get rid of old thoughts and pattern's that cluttered your mind and keep you in the past, allowing clarity to enter into that place and space. Shut the door to distractions or obscurity and open the windows of opportunity to focus ahead in creating space making room for new things to fill. The importance of a good perspective is in the way we think.

3. Enter your new season or chapter with confidence. Fear will only hold you back, knowing Jesus is with you, holding your hand all the way. You will not fall off that big gym ball you are balancing on through your precarious thoughts, you will not fall or fail, I promise! Don’t look back or sideways, keeping your focus on Jesus ahead, listening to His voice for encouragement and direction. Jesus says this - “I will never leave you, nor forsake you. I’m right there beside you, all the way”.

4. The tools you used in your previous 'field' may not be fit for purpose in your new landscape. To learn to adjust and accept you have to relearn by using different tool(s), for example, behaviours, language, adjustments and approach. Sometimes we have to un-learn to re-learn, allowing the new principles to weave through our leadership, mentorship, family, home and within our areas of influence.

5. Find a Pastor, Mentor or Friend who can come alongside you to journey with you, we cannot do this alone, we were not created to be an island but created to be relational through connections with others in helping you to transition and transform progressively in moving forwards and onwards. Accountability to God first and then to a friend who you trust and who is integral and honest is key to making sure you are on the right track, not off-roading into obscurity or territories that you are not supposed to be in.

When seasonal changes happen in life, we can have problems in adjusting to new conceptual ideas, for example, entering or leaving one church, to enter into another - approaching a significant milestone, age of 30 or 50 - or your career path has taken a different direction to the direction you thought it was going to take. Changes happen; it’s a living thing! It’s also a positive, progressive move into new territories that you have not been into before. To help you to grow, learn and do things that you have not done previously, establishing a platform of confidence and change into the new you that you have never uncovered before. Exciting!!

How do you approach changes in your life? Do you embrace them with everything you’ve got or do you run a mile? Nevertheless, the transition is here and here to stay. It’s the way we run the course until we reach our goal.

God never changes; He remains the same. Ps 102: 27. When our seasons change God remains the same. He is unshakable.

The truth is God is faithful; He is our forever anchor in our times of transition and change. We can place our fears, hopes and dreams in Him because He is constant and unmovable. Our inward person in who we are is changing daily. Do not lose heart, even though our outward person is perishing our inner self is being renewed 2 Corin 4:16. Trust in Jesus to ride the transitional waves with you.

Your present season prepares you for your next season what you have learnt and what has been revealed to you, in your current season is invaluable. The transition has the purpose of producing much more fruit to where you are heading to.

Take away....

Do you know the season you are in right now? Are you reaping or sowing, follow or fallow (waiting), happy or sad? Whatever your season looks like right now, will help you to shape and shift perspective in the way you think and will help to enable you to understand and transition well in the new.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Will you show me the right path in life in this new season?

Will you guide my feet to land on fertile soil where you want me to step into?

Let every decision that I make, be according to your plan for my life.

And will you fill me with grace and the fulfilled life as a result of this new season? Amen!