Transitions are HARD!

Most of us have experienced transitions. Some transitions can be fun and exciting but also hard and challenging. I guess in transitions one can experience fun, exciting, hard and challenging at the same time. My family is again experiencing another transition. It was self-imposed but nonetheless it is still hard. What I continue to learn about myself is this: It is so easy for me to get my identity (my life, my contentment) in "wanting to feel wanted". After sending my resume to churches, I anxiously await if they will decide if I have "what it takes" to be their pastor. Some respond promptly while others take forever, some say "no" rather quickly while others seek more information or an interview. I know that I wrestle with "wanting to be wanted" when I become discouraged, confused, frustrated, humiliated, sad, or even angry when these churches respond no. On the positive side, when a church begins to pursue me I become encouraged, happy, and excited. Of course, these are all "natural" responses during this time, but it is interesting to see how quickly my thoughts about myself and about God can change depending if I receive "good" or "bad" news. As I wait my next pastoral call, I serve as a biblical counselor. When a couple or individual share their struggle with me, I often ask them "Where is God as they work through their struggle?" "What do they believe about God?" "What do they believe about themselves?" "What do they believe about how God's view them and how does that help them engage their struggle?" So I need to ask those same questions to myself. This is what I know and desire to believe: God wants me. The cross of Christ shows me that God wants me. In fact, Jesus went to great lengths to demonstrate His desire to be in a relationship with me. As I reflect more and more on this gracious truth, it does give me hope as I experience the "no's" and "yes's" of my transition. How about you? Are you facing transition? How are you handling it? What do you need to believe about the gospel in the midst of your struggle so that you find your ultimate identity in Jesus Christ and not in your highs and lows of the transition? I leave you and me with this encouragement from the Apostle Paul for those who are facing transitions: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)