Unhindered By FearSample

FEAR OF TRANSITIONS

“Gosh, I just love transitions and how painful they are. It just gives me goosebumps and makes me feel alive,” said no one EVER! If you actually enjoy transitions, I’m sorry, but I’m going to need you to put the book down and slowly walk away, YUH WEIRDO! Just kidding, but on the real, transitions can be painful even when they lead to exciting new beginnings like becoming a new parent, getting married, or starting a new job. 

There are some transitions in life that will take you by surprise, and you will find yourself in a place where there is more gray than black and white; the unknown is all that lies before you, and all you are able to navigate is one tiny step at a time. I know it may seem scary, but I want to encourage you to not give up!

See, I’m in the middle of a transition myself. Currently, my car is packed with all my belongings after I drove across the country from California to Florida to pursue my next steps in achieving my dreams. I moved out on one word from God and a vision He gave me for this season. Although it is still a bit fuzzy, I have learned that any transition is an invitation into deeper intimacy with Jesus. Sometimes, we have to let go of a few things we love in order to hold them again with a bigger heart. Remember, your story is still being written.

I read this verse in John 16:20–21 that knocked my socks off: “But know this, your sadness will turn into joy when you see me again! Just like a woman giving birth experiences intense labor pains in delivering her baby, yet after the child is born she quickly forgets what she went through because of the overwhelming joy of knowing that a new baby has been born into the world” (The Passion Translation, 2017). 

I don’t know about you, but I personally have never birthed another human being. However, I get the picture Jesus was painting for us. (Thanks for the graphic image, Jesus). Transitional labor is a specific time between active labor and the actual delivery of the baby. It’s this really awkward in-between time where a lot of pain is happening, but nothing can be done to speed up the process. Sometimes a waiting period that is so painful can feel extremely useless, as if nothing is happening. 

But the truth is, the pain you’re experiencing as a result of transition is evidence of the promise making its way to you. This is not a time for you to be cluttering your life with busyness and trying to make stuff happen. This transitional season is designed for you to rest, lean into what God is saying, spend time with Him, and allow Him to reveal each step to you. God can do far more with your faith at rest in Him than He can with a thousand attempts to make it happen energized by fear. Good things are coming, don't settle in a season of transition.

Get the [F]ear out of Your Head

Today’s challenge: 

1. SLOW DOWN. It's as simple as that. Take a breath and resist the urge to be busy.
2. Be thankful for how far you’ve come and make a list of how God has been faithful to you up until this point. 
3. Spend time with God and ask Him to reimagine your future with you. Write what you see down, even if it seems crazy. 
4. Write down one thing you're most afraid of about this season of transition and then write the opposite, e.g., “I’m afraid of losing all my friends” turns into “I trust God with my friendships and know He has a community for me wherever He sends me.” Recite these truths out loud daily until you kick this fear in the butt!