As an educator working with youth, and as a parent of teens, I have the privilege of witnessing the ever-changing development of young people as they try to figure out the world around them and their place in it. Their path isn’t always easy, nor does it necessarily have forward momentum at each step; but growth and change always occur regardless. And if they’re lucky, as they grow and expand into adulthood, these young people keep their hope and resilience intact, which will help them approach future transitions with a healthy mix of critical inquiry about where they are headed, and the courage to go forward down what they perceive to be the right path at the right time.
It strikes me more and more that, as adults, our journey matches that of the young people in our midst. We, too, experience many transitions – some of our own choosing, some that are thrust upon us. When we know it is time to move, how do we ensure our momentum is truly forward-looking? How do we avoid the ‘hamster wheel’ of investing so much energy into simply spinning? And when the present has been pretty comfortable, albeit confining, why would we go into that wilderness in the first place and leave what we know behind?
For those of us who have felt that stirring, that restless Spirit that prompts and prods and pushes – sometimes gently, sometimes forcefully – we know that staying still really isn’t an option. Yet, the fear of letting go and trusting completely stops us in our tracks. We have heard that call: Follow me. And for a while, we dive in heart first, with first-timer naiveté, fervent energy and abandonment. But then it gets more complicated. We witness tragedies and experience serious trials – heart wounds that shock us in our faith – either in God himself, or in humanity, or both. And it hurts. And it distracts us from our purpose and our praise.
But then we hear God’s call again, and the Spirit’s admonishment: Who cut in on you and kept you from running that good race? So we seek the courage to go forth again, to believe again that the Lord our God goes before us and will never leave us. Praying for renewed courage and strength, we want to believe that the work that was started within us will not be abandoned. Part of the answer has to lie in Paul’s letter to the Philippians: Prayer, for thankfulness, with joy, and with petition for renewed confidence to complete the good work that has been started. As we come face-to-face with transitions that call us to something new, foreign, risky, yet something purposeful, may we ask for the courage to move forward, and expect the Spirit’s strength and guidance to see us through.
As the lyrics from the song “The Words I Would Say” by the Sidewalk Prophets encourage: “Be strong in the Lord and never give up hope. You’re gonna do great things I already know. God’s got his hand on you so don’t live life in fear. Forgive and Forget, but don’t forget why you’re here. Take your time and pray. Thank God for each day. His love will find a way. These are the words I would say.” Amen to those words!
(The full song can be found here.)
