Are you thinking of a move? Of Job, homes, or a big life change?
Well I have a tip (piece of wisdom) for you.
I’ve moved and transitioned a lot in my life. Seriously! Homes, churches, schools, cities, countries, and jobs. I can safely say, hundreds of changes. If I listed it here, this blog would be WAY too long.
Not that I’m a huge fan of change, or am so ‘unsettled’ I have a need to move. But it’s just been the course of my life God has had for me this far.
I consider myself to now be an expert on it. By mere experience and God’s leading.
And here’s my top tip for transition, moving, big life changes…
Alone time, with God.
Yep, simple, yet I feel the most necessary and profound aspect.
Why?
In Matthew 10 (Jesus Sends Out the Twelve) it says, “He (Jesus) called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every diseases and sickness…These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions:…”
Jesus sat them down. They stopped before ‘leaving’ and listened. They were given warnings, given peace about their risks and fears, they were given power and authority. They were told what to do, not to do, and in what order to do.
They were prepared by their leader.
Alone time with God allows you to hear from God. To have SANITY in the process.
To not let the change lead you, but you lead the change.
And all this by letting the leader lead you.
The greatest pull in a big change is to not stop. To go, to do.
A lot of emotions and logistics are ALWAYS involved in a change. But doing things out of my own strength gets me exhausted, frustrated, perturbed, and even makes me make mistakes.
(For instance, when I left LA to New Zealand, after Christmas of 2009 for the world race, I was SO SICK, the fever, flu, that I showed up to NZ exhausted, not rested. Not ready to go. I learned from that one.)
Have you ever had a stressful move and felt like a chicken with your head cut off? Or even emotionally very unsettled?
It’s probably because your life source, as mine has sometimes been in the past, has been your own self.
Jesus’ 12 dudes, about to leave behind so much, and walk into a new season were sat down by Jesus and talked to. Alone time with God.
I now find that the more alone time, praying and listening time, I have with my Papa, the more I’m able to leave friends, family, situations as well as possible and with so much joy. And enter into the new season ready. Ready, equipped, and sane.
Peace what I’m leaving behind. Peace in the transition. And peace in the future of unknowns.
Not that I’m perfect at it, no, not at all. But definitely more settled in it now more than ever.
Next time you’re thinking of having a big change, leaving something and walking into something new…just stop, quiet yourself with God, and make being with him the priority.
Let him talk to you, lead you, be your sanity and strength.
Let HIM send you out!
