In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These may come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7
I am in a waiting room, impatient for certain life-events to be over, for losses to be grieved, for change to be completed. I stand at a precipice, wondering where the bridge is.
Lately, in the midst of transition, I am experiencing a profound sense of sadness, as if something inside me is dying. Like a kernel of wheat that falls to the ground and dies so it is re-born as a new stalk of wheat, a part of me must die to my old life so that my new life can take root.
In life transitions, this whole “dying” thing is scary. Life as I know it has ended! It is downright frightening to look Future in the face and not be able to see it clearly, like I'm looking through a reflection, a pool of water that ripples just as I begin to see, then changes again, covering up tomorrow with undulating waves. My future seems to be a mere shadow of things that will be, shape-shifting into various forms, none of which can be grasped with the human eye, let alone deep down within me.
In 1 Peter 1:6-7, the apostle Peter says that the trials of life, yes, even the grief that comes with all sorts of losses and transitions, can work to create in us a stronger faith. Just as raw ore is refined in fire and becomes valuable gold, so we too are changed by our difficult circumstances as our faith becomes stronger. The end result is we become more like Jesus and He gets all the praise, glory, and honor!
Taking my soul, Jesus fashions it into something new that has meaning and purpose, full of life and love and laughter. This molding and shaping is painful, like clay in the hands of a potter or like gold as the dross is being burned away. This growing and changing is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage to be shaped. Transitioning in life especially when you are afraid is challenging, but necessary. Otherwise, you are not moving forward. Being brave doesn't mean not feeling afraid, but rather it means trusting in the One who is fully trustworthy. Jesus, who cares for me, will walk with me no matter how scary the transition. He is already on the other side, waiting for me with open arms, as I move closer into deeper fellowship with Him. In today's vernacular, it means "God's got this" and I don't have to.
As I perch on the edge of a new life, perhaps I don’t even need to see the bridge. Just knowing Jesus walks with me, sometimes carrying me, is all I need to know for now. That’s something I can hold onto, deep inside my soul.
Lord Jesus, amidst life changes, I thank You and praise You that You walk with me. I lean on Your strength to carry me through and over to the other side of loss and transition. May You receive the praise, glory, and honor as I am changed into who You want me to be. Amen.
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Copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
I am in a waiting room, impatient for certain life-events to be over, for losses to be grieved, for change to be completed. I stand at a precipice, wondering where the bridge is.
Lately, in the midst of transition, I am experiencing a profound sense of sadness, as if something inside me is dying. Like a kernel of wheat that falls to the ground and dies so it is re-born as a new stalk of wheat, a part of me must die to my old life so that my new life can take root.
In life transitions, this whole “dying” thing is scary. Life as I know it has ended! It is downright frightening to look Future in the face and not be able to see it clearly, like I'm looking through a reflection, a pool of water that ripples just as I begin to see, then changes again, covering up tomorrow with undulating waves. My future seems to be a mere shadow of things that will be, shape-shifting into various forms, none of which can be grasped with the human eye, let alone deep down within me.
In 1 Peter 1:6-7, the apostle Peter says that the trials of life, yes, even the grief that comes with all sorts of losses and transitions, can work to create in us a stronger faith. Just as raw ore is refined in fire and becomes valuable gold, so we too are changed by our difficult circumstances as our faith becomes stronger. The end result is we become more like Jesus and He gets all the praise, glory, and honor!
Taking my soul, Jesus fashions it into something new that has meaning and purpose, full of life and love and laughter. This molding and shaping is painful, like clay in the hands of a potter or like gold as the dross is being burned away. This growing and changing is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage to be shaped. Transitioning in life especially when you are afraid is challenging, but necessary. Otherwise, you are not moving forward. Being brave doesn't mean not feeling afraid, but rather it means trusting in the One who is fully trustworthy. Jesus, who cares for me, will walk with me no matter how scary the transition. He is already on the other side, waiting for me with open arms, as I move closer into deeper fellowship with Him. In today's vernacular, it means "God's got this" and I don't have to.
As I perch on the edge of a new life, perhaps I don’t even need to see the bridge. Just knowing Jesus walks with me, sometimes carrying me, is all I need to know for now. That’s something I can hold onto, deep inside my soul.
Lord Jesus, amidst life changes, I thank You and praise You that You walk with me. I lean on Your strength to carry me through and over to the other side of loss and transition. May You receive the praise, glory, and honor as I am changed into who You want me to be. Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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