The Freeze

We have a large screen at one of the two schools I work for that plays calming instrumental videos. When a video is playing on the screen, one of the students loves to run up to the board and rewind it while it is playing. That might work at home, but it isn’t an appropriate method for a classroom setting to keep rewinding the screen. Our solution to this problem is to freeze the screen to handle it. When the screen is frozen, the video sound continues to play in the background without interruption. You can now hear the video while the screen is frozen.

This particular moment was highlighted to me in a way because the way this video was on a big screen for all to see made me think about our lives in transition. How? There are things on our screen of life that everyone can see. Not only can they see your life on that big screen, but you are personally going through a transition in life that you are trying to figure out “off the screen.” It may appear or be perceived that you are “frozen in time.” Just like that big screen in the classroom, it was playing as normal, then something interfered with it, and it had to be frozen. You could still hear it, but it was no longer in motion.

This experience has taught me that the uncertainty in life can make us feel stuck in a particular moment. It often leads us to believe that we’re missing out on things or that our time is running out. We may even wonder how long we will remain in this frozen state. 

There may seem to be no movement, but you can still hear it. Life sometimes appears frozen, but what if this perspective is wrong? What if this is God’s way of protecting us or redirecting us to where we need to be? It’s hearing the voice of God that keeps us motivated in seasons of transition. Actively listening and hearing what God is saying to you in this session will keep you on the right path. Asking God for his wisdom during this season is vital! It’s serious. Now the real question is, “Is God re-directing your path? Is this a season on which you must refocus? What exactly are you supposed to be accomplishing this season? What are your plans?”

The Bible mentions, “Many plans are in a person’s heart, but the LORD’s decree will prevail.” Proverbs 19:21 In this season of transition, what is God saying to you?

“Perhaps this freeze is God’s way of recalculating our steps, refining certain aspects of our lives, and fine-tuning them before we can move forward.“

Seasons of transition can present opportunities for growth and change, but they can also be unpleasant due to the unknowns. It also may be that your true purpose is hidden until the appropriate moment and conditions are met by being what appears to be frozen in time. I adore discovering the things that God has brought to light in my life. So let’s investigate a few of the advantages that come with freezing naturally. I went with food freezing as a benefit; view this via a spiritual lens.

Benefits of freezing food…

• Availability & Freshness
• Time-Saving Convenience
• Economic Choice
• No Preparation and Added Food Safety
• Sealed Freshness

Other benefits are…

1. Consistent, high quality
2. Superior Taste
3. Unbeatable Value

*Logs off and cue the shouting music! Being frozen is not always a bad thing! That state of transition and the pause in transition have benefits! Yes, transitions aren’t easy, they aren’t convenient, they don’t look perfect, and they have you questioning your faith. But what if—just what if? This is the season that brings you the most clarity and brings you to a place that directs you to the people, the places, and the spaces you’ve been ordained to ENCOUNTER! God has a timeline for us all; it’s our duty to get before him and seek and find what he has for us! He wants us to become consistent, high-quality disciples. He wants our lives to have a superior taste so people can eat from who we are. Produce and grab people out of the kingdom of darkness! He teaches us in his word that we are valuable and will always be valuable because of Him, not us!

Questions I often ask myself in a transitional season…

• Who and what individuals do I need to connect with during this transition? 
• When does God want me to transition?
• Where is God leading me in this season?
• Why is this transition taking place?

Can I tell you that most life transitions do not necessarily indicate that you are unstable? This is especially true when it comes to leaving a place of worship or finding new employment. I’d like to demystify the myths around these two types of transitions. They are frequently discussed from a one-sided perspective, which can make people feel as if they are outside of God’s purpose when transitioning. When you’re going through a change with these two things, it’s always a good idea to pray and seek God’s guidance.

“Especially if you are the leader of your entire family. This directly affects the lives that are connected to you.”

Ask God for his direction and the wisdom to know when the right time is to make a change, or if a change is even needed. It’s important to be patient and cautious during these times and to make sure that you are making the right decisions for yourself and those around you. Trust in God’s plan and have faith that he will guide you on the right path.

guidance in transition

In every life-altering transition in my life, I first consult with God in prayer. I filter through myself, and I ask myself questions. I gather evidence to make sure this transition has nothing attached to it that I’ll later regret. Transitional seasons and seasons to endure look similar, but the defining factor is, “Is it you or God?

Is this a season you have to navigate through and mature through? That your only intention is to flee? Or is this a season in which you’ve proven that you’ve established, developed, and accumulated experience, and it’s currently time to move forward and expand elsewhere?

Wise counsel is your saving grace in your transitional season. Who do you talk to in your transitional seasons? Transitions shift the norm; they shift your way of thinking; they poke at you until you are in a clear mental state to answer well. This is about those who have denied things in life to do what God wants to accomplish in their lives. I’ve recently been hearing in church, “Disciples are different from a believer; disciples dominate.” This means if you are to dominate anything, you have to do it according to what God says. So if you want to accomplish, dominate, and succeed in life, your transitions must be God-led. I made a transition out of a job and position that I loved. But under the conditions of them overworking me, I had to consult with God, and through convos with my parents at the time, what should I do? So I first paused to not quit; to be honest, I was done! But I waited, gained, and learned so much at that job that it was the foundation I’d gained there that helped me succeed in my current job. I’m glad I didn’t quit. I waited until the end of the school year and wrote my resignation letter. I was at that job for 4 years. They truly hated to see me go, but I had to. I transitioned without another job lined up, wrote the resignation letter, and all that. Yep, I walked by faith into my next place of employment, with nothing lined up. 

“That grace was lifted for that job, and I left with no offenses, but I knew my worth! “

My faith at that time was built up to make a move like that because prior smaller victories prepared me for my next faith challenge. I didn’t just leave on hope; I left with the assurance, “If God can answer the prayer to get me here, he can lead me to my next there.” During that transition, it was scary, but I knew I had made the right decision. I was led to go to a job fair during the summer and got hired on the spot, but I didn’t hear back for some weeks. The only thing I knew was the particular district I had to stay in. I later received a call from a previous co-worker asking if I was still interested in this particular district. I said yes; she set me up with the area coordinator, went on an interview, was hired at that specific district, and the rest is history! I knew my transition was God-led, and even though it appeared to be frustrating, it pushed me into a life change and a tax bracket change! What still baffles my mind is that I was offered a job in another district, but I didn’t take it because of the district I was led to work in. I was specific even in my transition on where to go. I’m currently doing what I love to do and have years of financial testimonies from this one transition! Yes, challenges still arrive, but I’m built for them! 

you’re recalibrating

Sometimes our perspectives need a little adjusting. Even after the God-led transition, there’s this thing in between where our faith in God is still being developed. It’s in the wait where our inner man is developed for our future assignments! Our character is often developed in those frozen (waiting) stages. God wants our character to be in a place where we’re able and capable of handling what’s in our next assignment. If not developed, you’ll keep circling back to the same scenarios in your new environment. So sometimes our season of being frozen in time can look like recalibrating, resting, and gaining insight, wisdom, and counsel from the Lord and people. It’s not all bad unless we’re in total disobedience to God’s instructions. That will keep you stuck and unproductive with no growth! Think about the benefits of the frozen food that’s mentioned above. It preserves the freshness and quality! That’s exactly what happens to us; who you are is being preserved, so in the meantime, seek God in what you’re supposed to be doing while you wait in your transitional season. 

Be encouraged in your transitional season!

1. Keep God first (Matt. 6:33)
2. Keep Godly wise counsel in your presence (Proverbs 19:20-21)
3. Seek God for wisdom and instructions. (James 1:5)