T.G.I.F!
Thank God It’s Fall! The fall season has officially arrived. The time has come to swap those sun dresses for a nice warm jacket. The leaves are changing colors and the weather is cooling down. Starbucks has stocked up on their pumpkin spiced lattes and fall festivals are underway. I love the fall because the southern heat finally calms down but it doesn’t get too cold that you can't enjoy the outdoors. Besides, who doesn't like to wear a cute sweater and a nice pair of boots!
Not only has the season changed but some of us may be experiencing life changes and transitions. There is a verse of an old song that says “time is filled with swift transitions”. Whether a transition is swift or not, we all go through them. Change is a necessary part of life where we are leaving the old and coming into the new. I've recently had some interesting conversations with people and read a few things about being in transition that I'd like to share.
We all have heard the old saying that one of the only sure things about life is that there will be change. I’m sure that we’ve all come to know this to be true at some point in our lives. My grandmother recently explained to me that transition is normal. As people, we grow as a part of the natural human experience. Our perspectives, beliefs, and opinions change as we go through life. If you're experiencing an internal transition sometimes it's difficult to put it into words. All you know is that something is happening. It’s like having growing pains. I know this feeling because I’ve been there. Change also occurs externally. We may experience a change in employment, move to a different city, or encounter new relationships. Change is inevitable and it is good as long as we’re moving in a positive direction.
Another important aspect of transition is that it is necessary to let go of the old. We can hinder the process of change by hanging onto old mindsets, people, and things. This may be done out of fear and not wanting to be temporarily uncomfortable. We may also hold on because it helps us to maintain control. It amazes me how many of us can be control freaks, myself included. Giving up control puts us in a vulnerable place that many of us do not like to be in. It is important to relinquish control and not allow fear to stop us from doing what is necessary. Let it go!
The point of letting go of the old reminds me of a statement that I recently heard a young lady make who was talking about this subject. She explained that although we think it’s beautiful when the leaves change colors in the fall, the reason that they are changing is because they are dead! This made so much sense to me. Why bring a dead thing into a new situation? This dead baggage will only kill the life out of the newness we are meant to experience. It’s like when a person goes to a new job with the same negative attitude that they left the old job with. It’s hard to be productive and fruitful in the new season when you have dead weight lingering around. Bringing the old into the new ensures that the same thing that happened in the past, will occur in the future. The new place that life is trying to take us will not accommodate the old that we are holding onto.
When we are in transition it is important to slow life down a little bit. The noise of life can sometimes get in the way of gaining clarity and insight. This may mean watching less TV for some, spending less time on social media for others, or quieting the negative voices in our lives. During transitions, it’s a good idea to spend more time reflecting, praying, and prioritizing. It is critical to create a space to hear God’s still small voice and let Him lead. Doing this will help us to assess where we are and make good decisions about where we are going.
During transitions, it helps to have an open mind. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to have expectations and plans. It’s even better to be flexible about what the outcome may be and the path that we may have to take to get there. Like my mom recently told me “just go with the flow”. Let’s not be so rigid with a narrow perspective. This hinders us from being open to greater possibilities and makes the transition process a bit more difficult. Often, what God has planned for us will look different than what we have in mind. Even though the outcome may be different, it will exceed whatever we had imagined.
I know that change can be tough sometimes but it is a very necessary and natural part of life. Just think of the caterpillar that transforms inside of a cocoon into a beautiful butterfly and makes its way out of it’s old shell. This encourages us that there is hope in the process. I am not sure what your change is or what you’re transitioning to but what I am sure of is that once the transition process is over, what’s on the other side will be great. Be encouraged, yield to the process, and become the best you possible! Enjoy your weekend!