1. INTRODUCTION:

Transition is the process of moving from one phase to another. It is forward motion to a better place or a newly stated goal.

There is a popular chorus based on II Cor. 3:18 entitled, “From glory to glory He�s changing me.” How blessed we are to be in a world of dynamic change. Change should not be done just for the sake of shaking things up, but to keep up with the times.

The Girl Scouts have a saying, “Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold.” As we experience transition either collectively or individually, we should be able to retain the good of the past. Two singles meet, marry and establish a home. That is really transition, but even greater effect is felt when little miss “cutsie” is born and then even the cat feels displaced.

Life itself is transitional. Each passing decade brings increase in wisdom, but with it the thinning of the hairline and thickening of the waist! Without change, there would be no improvement. One cannot recapture the invigoration of a balmy spring day or the fresh smell of a newly plowed field. But, having experienced a springtime, one can set his hope on the future spring even during the dreariness of winter. The Proverbs state that “to everything there is a season.”

  1. Discussion
  2. Nuggets to help during change and transition.
    • Looking ahead and moving on to where we will soon be requires forward focus. Looking back should only be done to avoid making the same mistakes over again.
    • Living in the past intensifies the reality of aging, but living for the future brings a sense of new life and new beginnings.
    • A good memory and honest evaluation helps prevent repeating previous mistakes.
    • Forward motion produces friction and friction produces heat! To make change is not easy and can strain relationships.
    • A proven marketing slogan is “the tried and true and something new.” The goal is to retain proven performers and develop new items from a position of economic strength.
    • God will prune the most highly producing vines, that they may produce more fruit. John 15:2
    • The Lord’s discipline may seem painful for the moment, but the end result is the blessed fruit of righteousness.
    • Young stallions exhibit tremendous energy and excitement, but the mature draft horses keep plowing until the field is tilled.
    • Jon Lewis, Director of Research for Mission Aviation Fellowship stated, “We are what we measure.” Transition denotes a from – to something. There must be a measurable distance; an improvement, otherwise it is just change for the sake of change which may be more disruptive than profitable.
  3. Helpful Points for Walking through Transition
    • We must not let our dreams substitute for God’s plan.
    • We must work together to develop a plan that God can re-direct
    • Visualization is important – we cannot move to a place that we cannot see ourselves in.
    • We must let go of nagging disappointments and failure to reach former goals that may have been unrealistic.
    • Prioritize – pressure fills the vacuum of the absence of priorities
    • Frustration starts when the last alternative is gone.
    • Facts, faith and truth bring light to blind spots. We need clear, written objectives.
    • God is sovereign and we must learn to see things from His perspective. He gives us favor even when we are not perfect.
    • Reality is seeing what God is doing right and we are doing wrong.
    • It takes a long distance to turn a large ship around. Without forward momentum it cannot change direction.
    • It is not where we have been that counts, but rather where we are going that measures the value of the trip.
    • People who do not add to our life will drain life from us. Our five closest relationships will determine our destination.
    • As we honor others, honor will be bestowed upon us. Congratulate the achievement of others to increase our capacity for advancement.
    • Exchange is the process of leaving something behind to receive something more valuable and to achieve our purpose.
    • There are those detractors that make greater withdrawals from us than our other good relationships can possibly deposit. This is like the destruction of the body’s immune system, which leaves us too weak to accomplish anything worthwhile.
    • To conserve our spiritual energy, we must concentrate our effort on those who are assigned to the same “vision team.”
    • Discernment is determining who has sent a message into our lives and whether it is are a blessing or a distraction.
    • Development is the effective employment of human and social factors that result in a community of interdependent people uplifting each other at the expense of none.
    • During transition you cannot afford to carry those on your back who should be walking beside you and helping to carry the load.
    • Determine who is with you in the transition process. Workers often quit many months before they leave. It is best to let those who are not with you leave for other pursuits. They will do better elsewhere and you will do better without them.
    • Pillars are those that uphold the work by the tenacity of their faith. Conversely, spiritual parasites want to use your faith to sustain their needs.
    • Prioritize your efforts on that which multiplies. Submit to leaders who are secure and will help you multiply your work. Insecure leaders will attempt to control you and hinder progress toward your destiny.
    • Any work that does not allow for evaluation is like a moving target. You must evaluate to determine if your motion is taking you forward or backward. Test your work to determine if the results can multiply without an external life support system.
    • Maintain an environment of order, avoid clutter and people with undisciplined lives. Develop a productive environment where entrepreneurship flourishes.
    • Empower people that are “becoming” so that your efforts multiply through the Christ-like values that you deposit in their lives. Develop them through leadership and facilitate the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
    • A disciple follows a discipline of increasing; but a convert may change only for an immediate benefit.
    • One has said, “practice makes perfect,” but even more accurately another has said, “practice makes improvement.” (Covey)

Summary

Romans 12:1-2 talks about being transformed by the renewing of our minds to do the perfect will of God. By faith we transition to realize the substance or reality of what we have hoped for, prayed for and even dreamed about.

There is a transitional nature in life itself and change is clearly part of it. From childhood to adult, single to married, young to old, birth to death; all are examples of transition.

Without change there is no opportunity for improvement. Transition takes us from one level of service, leadership or responsibility to another.

Successful transition depends upon our courage to embrace the process and take advantage of its opportunities. The natural man resists change.

To everything there is a season and with each season there is joy in birthing the new, but sorrow in burying the old.

Finally, don’t leave behind those who helped you come so far. Leave your world in better shape than it was handed to you. The prize before us is great, and new challenges produce greater rewards.