Change & Transition – Part 3

Transition starts with an end, and ends with a beginning.

Transition (changing our mindset to match new situations) determines if we can survive through change. Today I want to talk about the three phases of transition; it starts with an ending and ends with a new beginning.

Phase one: Letting go of the old way of doing things.

This is never easy. In Joshua 1, Moses is dead. God speaks to Joshua as he is the new leader and says, "I know you know Moses is dead, but I need you to accept it". After 40 years of following Moses' leadership, Joshua and the Israelites face a new situation. It starts with a loss.

Phase two: The Neutral Zone.

This stage falls between the old and the new, suspended somewhere between what was and what will be. It is an emotional wilderness filled with uncertainty, friction and confusion and it's when many jump ship. Back in the desert, when Moses was up a mountain for 40 days, the people he led were freaking out; “Where is Moses? Is he dead? Is he coming back?” In their uncertainty, they jumped ship and abandoned Moses and God to build and worship a golden calf. This shows when people lose the things that secure them; people will follow anyone rather than feel lost. We need to keep our head so we don't end up with an identity crisis.

Phase three: New beginnings.

At the end of the transition we welcome a new season, new identity and new energy.

My advice is…

Stand firm.

Your future depends on standing strong through change and transition; your future is what it is all about. It’s a time of incredible opportunity. When I was working through the changes of growing from a small to a big church, there were times when thought I had lost my mind and wanted to throw my hands up and say 'That's it, I'm done!’ But I had and held on to the knowledge that this wasn't the end, something was changing in my thinking and keeping my eyes on where we were going.

Be patient.

Transition takes time. You can't rush it. Just ask any mum; it takes nine months to make a baby. You can't force some things.

Understand consequences of not changing.

If we don’t change we will die. If a receptionist with a rude phone manner - and we've all experienced someone like that - does not change, they will be fired. Where might you end up if you don't stand firm, be patient and transition through periods of change in your life?