There is a right time for everything. Everything that we do on the earth has a proper time (Ecclesiastes 3:1 EASY)
One of the hardest transitions I had to go through was the shift from a young carefree woman to mother. The first couple of months post-partum was the best of times but it was also a very challenging time. I wasn't exactly prepared for it but I survived shuttling between mourning the girl I once was and stepping into the new role I 'found' thrust into as a mother by the grace of God.
I didn't take to motherhood as easily and as fast as I thought I would. One of the more difficult parts of this transition was looking through my then extensive wardrobe and realizing that at least half of my wardrobe was no longer functional. Every time I tried to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes, it was a struggle. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I cried hot tears of pain and loss, because I couldn't recognize myself in the new season I was in.
Many outfits could pass through but the fit was wrong- a bit too tight here, a little snug there, stretched this way and that. I tried to manage how and what I ate and exercise, until I realized that this change was different. My hips, back, chest and tummy had expanded, and I even grew a backside! This was now permanent. By the Holy Spirit's help, I was able to see how ill-fitting clothes were the ultimate physical confirmation that I had indeed outgrown the previous season and there was no going back.
As I reflect on some lessons learnt through this transition, I realize it was a bridge to the next level. If we enter into these seasons of change with a renewed perspective, we will see that there are gifts in transitions, often hidden behind challenging situations.
Every transition has a purpose. At the time I was moving through postpartum, I couldn't see the purpose, but for the Holy Spirit. The best way to move through a season of transition is to understand its purpose. What is it trying to teach you? Mine taught me that there was more to me than my figure. I had more resilience and grit than I gave myself credit for, and I could do hard things.
Transitions demand flexibility: Motherhood forced me to operate one day at a time. Watching my son grow up before my eyes taught me how to be flexible because every day was so different. Yes, I much prefer the predictability of a routine but in moving through transitions, we can't afford to be rigid and stiff-necked. We learn how to pivot fast.
Transitions don't go on indefinitely: I changed diapers for 3 years until one day, it just came to an abrupt end. I weaned my little one until one day, he started eating solid foods by himself. One day, he learnt how to use the toilet. Nothing goes on forever; seasons come to an end.
A successful transition is marked by growth: As I grew into motherhood, my baby was also growing. There's a happy ending to my tale of motherhood. I thank the Lord because as I have embraced this season fully, I continue to learn every day. I have so far continued to cheerfully give away more of my wardrobe. The Lord has also opened up a new realm of purpose.
Transitions are an opportunity: You get to decide how you want to move forward. You could choose to stay behind and stuck or you could choose to grow through the discomfort. A transition should never leave you the same way by the time the next season rolls around. I pray that as you move through the transition period, that you'll get everything that you need to get from it.
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