This past weekend I preached my final sermon at Next Step. In preparation for it I was as focused as I’ve ever been. I even put off writing this blog so I could focus on the message. It was a hard message to write, I couldn’t find myself in it, I couldn’t get it down on paper. Normally, when I am preaching I find myself excited about the process of getting to what God wants me to say, in this case I was fighting it. I was struggling with it; I honestly didn’t want to do it.
When I spent some time with those feelings I realized why; I know that this is going to change our relationship. Seasons of transition change things, and no matter how hard we try the terms of our relationship are drastically changing. The hard part is there is nothing we can do to stop it. The harsh realities are; we aren’t going to see each other as much, I won’t be as involved, and everything will slowly begin to look different. It is all a part of the process of change, and while it isn’t easy it is important.
The more thought I’ve put into it the more I’ve decided to focus on the things I can control. So, here are the top three things I’m committing to in the midst of transition:
1. Cherish the moment. I’m going to live into each moment, enjoy each conversation, and be present.
2. Allow myself to be nostalgic. We’ve shared some great memories and I believe that in order to honor what God has done we have to allow ourselves to reminisce.
3. Pray. I am going to pray fervently for the present as well as the future.
While I don’t think this list is exhaustive I do think it is a good start. One of the things that God keeps revealing to me is that I have a choice; I can focus on whatever I choose and through that focus I’ll determine my results.
What do you do in the midst of transition?
Where is your focus and are you happy with those results?