The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…
The abundant life knows that although change can be challenging, a smooth transition can make the process easier.
A transition is a passage or movement from one state, stage, or place to another. Change is rarely easy. Even change for the better can be uncomfortable. How we navigate our transitions can make a significant impact on our overall mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Change is inevitable. Some changes are forced upon us due to circumstances, many beyond our control. Perhaps a spouse or child gets a debilitating disease. Maybe we must move to another area to take care of aging parents. We might face a salary cut, forced retirement, or burn out. Plus, all around us social, cultural, and political climates change.
Learning new technologies can be intimidating, but may be necessary. For example, those who refuse to get a cell phone may not be able to communicate with businesses or loved ones. I wish them luck looking for a telephone booth if they want to make a call while out and about. Even Clark Kent has had to find a different way to change into Superman.
All transitions, for the good or for the bad, can involve a certain amount of discomfort. There is a learning curve for anything new we encounter. It’s a growth process. The way we always did things in the past may need to be adapted or updated, and done differently. Different is not necessarily bad. It’s just not what we are used to.
However, realizing that change is a normal part of life can make difficult transitions easier. Any
change will bring some challenges. If we know a certain change is definitely for good, then it’s better to embrace it, not fight it.
During transitions, we can remain stable if we cling to constants that do not change, such as our values and Christian principles. Jesus Christ is still the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) The Word of God is still the solid foundation of truth. (2 Timothy 3:16) Prayer, Bible study, and meditating on God’s Word may sound like cliché’ advice, but seeking God is still the key that aids in coping in any situation. Let’s not make the mistake of limiting what God can do in our lives or the lives of others. The gospel message is always the same but how it is presented may need to adjust with changing times.
Since change is inevitable, transitions are always with us—in the workplace, at school, in our communities, in society, at home, in our lives, and in ministry. Those living the abundant life have learned to walk with God as they transition into whatever the future holds.
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“…I have come that they may have life and that they
may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)
