Transitions

Martin's second blog looks at the art of change, and how God meets us in the process of transition.

Guest Blog // Martin Smith // Week Two

“Not in goals, but in transitions are people great.”  (Emerson)

Many of you know that things are changing. I don’t mean the surface things like an impending change of government, the price of US dollars or the fact that Mary-Anna, my 2 year old is starting nursery school in September.

No. I’m talking about a spiritual ‘shift’  and whenever this happens the tidal wave it produces always destroys and rebuilds the culture we live in. Let’s bring this down to earth a bit. We have enjoyed 30 years of ‘free’  western capitalism but frankly, we now do not have the money to pay the rent.

I’m quite excited though, because I believe in God. I believe in a God who gave us hundreds of stories about the moments when he showed up just at the right time and in the right place. Moses at the red sea, Gideon and his ‘jam jar’ firelights, even sending his own son Jesus to open the eyes of a blind man.

I’m very excited because I believe that God is coming and he will not be late.

When the world is changing, we simply have to fix our eyes on Jesus who is unchangeable and unshakeable. I have been incredibly inspired by an article I read by William Bridges. He says:

‘Change, especially in these complex times, can seem like “launching out from a riverside dock to cross to a landing on the other shore—only to discover in midstream that the landing is no longer there. (And when we look back at the other shore, we see that the dock we left from has just broken loose and is heading downstream!) We are often stuck in transition between situations, relationships, and identities that are themselves in transition.”

This is the nature of contemporary life. Transitions “begin” with an ending (i.e. marriage is the end of singleness; a promotion is the end of a former job, routine and friendships, etc.). Transitions move next into a confusing, stressed nowhere of in-betweenness (think of college grads who have not landed a job) and finally morph into a new beginning.

Unacknowledged, unprocessed endings stand in the way of moving forward to new beginnings. We have to let go of the old thing before we can pick up the new—not just outwardly, but inwardly, where we keep our connections to the people and places that act as definers of who we are. Even positive changes (being accepted to the school of your choice or having a baby) produce these unexpected losses because to an extent that we seldom realize, we come to identify our selves with the circumstances of our lives’

Good stuff eh!

I have a hunch about something. In all our busyness, in all the ‘good’ we do. In all the empire building of big ministry and brand driven churches, it’s time to press the pause button. Those of you who are brave may even want to press the ‘stop’ button.

Let’s be with Jesus. I say that I love him and adore him, in fact I built a career around singing about it but in all the ‘good’ I forgot to do it. I forgot to sit on a hill and talk to Jesus. I stopped climbing trees just to sing him my songs, read him my love letters. I had learnt to go to battle in the Kings ‘armour’ when deep down I was always just a shepherd boy with a sling.

I am learning that ‘good’ is not ‘great’.

If there is no ‘great’ beneath the ‘good’ then we will die.

How do we be great?

We spend time with someone who is greater.

When all around is moving, shifting and the future uncertain there is no need to panic. If we find Jesus again we will be so enthralled, so happy that we will forget we are in transition anyway. If we have him inside our lives then the ‘good’ we worried about will lose it’s appeal anyway in the light of ‘his’ face.

In 2 Samuel Ch 19 we read that when David was reinstated as king, he offered Mephibosheth acres of fields in return for his commitment. The invalid boy had no interest in the land because in that moment all he cared about was being with the King. Mephibosheth said, "I am content just to have you safely back again, my Lord the King!"

I’m learning that God doesn’t want my voice, he just wants me.

It’s great to be back.

Martin Smith is married to Anna and they have six children; Elle-Anna, Noah, Indi-Anna, Levi, Ruby and Mary. Based in Littlehampton at Arun Community Church, Martin is the front guy in the band Delirious? Their songs include ‘I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever’, ‘Majesty’ and ‘What A friend I’ve Found’. Martin and Anna have recently started Compassionart; a charity which raises money to help breathe life into the poorest communities, restoring hope and igniting justice.