TAKING UP TRANSITION

[Albert Finch]

Concerning transition, what happens to you is not as important as how you respond to what happens to you. Are you going to keep moving forward, or are you going to let your fear of the unknown hold you back? Are you going to make excuses for yourself or are you going to press through the emotional storms until you reach the other side?

Sometimes you may feel that change has mowed you down because life as you knew it has ended. But if you pay attention, you can find hope in unlikely places. For example, the words of Job 14:7 - "For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease."

As long as the roots are intact, the tree can grow anew, and so can you. This is true not only for trees that get chopped off at ground level but also for fruit-bearing trees and vines that get pruned, sometimes drastically, in order to increase their health and yield. Right after a pruning, the tree or vine might not look too great. But remember what Jesus said: "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2 NKJV).
The trees that bear the most fruit are the ones that we prune from top to bottom.

YOUR PRESENT VISION ADJUSTS
The new begins to replace the old, and you become willing to make changes in your life. You start to look at life through a fresh lens; you get a new perspective, and it alters your vision.

With the combination of God's grace and your new perception, you will have a surge of fresh energy. Your strength will renew like that of an eagle (Isaiah 40:31). New challenges (enemies) will come along with your transition to a new place in life, and God will give you strength to meet them.

You stride into your new land with confidence, and you secure it. This may take a while, but you will get there if you persevere. One little step at a time is all it requires. The whole process depends on trust.

AM I TRUSTING MYSELF, MY CIRCUMSTANCES, OR OTHER PEOPLE?
Of course, the goal is to put your trust in God alone because He uses every transition to make you more like Him.
That is the essence of what Paul wrote: "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV).
Lift Your Eyes and Keep Moving Forward!

One of the keys for moving forward through a time of transition is to get your eyes off yourself and your often-miserable circumstances. You need to follow Paul's advice and keep your eyes on Heaven.
As the psalmist wrote, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" (Psalm 121:1 KJV).

Look up! Suddenly, His beauty strikes you, and you are amazed. Lord, You are wonderful! You are my Redeemer. I don't always understand You, but I trust You with all my heart. I love You. I want to lift my eyes to You in worship, even in the midst of these unresolved internal conflicts. I lay them at Your feet.

Repeat and meditate on of the old chorus:
I turn my eyes upon Jesus,

I look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
http://afministry.ning.com/