Traveling Thru Transition

Changes happen often in all our lives. My family just moved back to Tucson, Arizona after planting a church, Legacy Church, in Junction City, Kansas. We were in Kansas for 7 years. The church we left is now having to deal with transition as they find a new pastor. The church i'm coming back to in Tucson, Alive Church, has changed dramatically. The have a new facility and have already started an additional campus on another part of the city. They have grown from around 200 people to over 600 in just a few months. Things must change. The problem is most of us don't like change. A guy in the bible named Paul described his transition like this:

For I’m already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 2 Timothy 4:6(NIV)

A friend of mine once described transitions like pouring water from one glass into an empty glass from a distance of several feet. There is a considerable gap between where the water started and where it ends up in the other glass. If you're not careful it can get a little messy. If you're the water, it can be a little scary too! You feel like you are out there all alone with no protection. You feel vulnerable. Transitions in life can be a lonely time too. We can even be lonely in a crowd; it doesn’t make any difference how many people are surrounding us. It’s our relationship with those people that makes a difference.

How can you face fear and loneliness when you’re in transition?

1. Make good use of your time – Think, “What could I do now that would be difficult if other people were around? What could I do in this time of loneliness that I could not do if there were other people here to interrupt me?” Use your time to do something great for God.

2. Reach out to others - You may not feel like reaching out but if you do you will find fulfillment and purpose. You have gifts and talents that can help others.

3. Stay focused on your purpose – So that at the end of your life, you can say, like Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV). If you don't know your purpose keep searching and serving others. You will discover it!

Are you going through a change in your life now? How are you handling it?