Moving lessons have been the theme of this season in our lives and I decided to write a bit about it.
Moving Lessons
It’s in the tension between needing to move but wanting to stay.
It’s the anticipation of my name being lost in the 500km between here and there.
It’s in the begrudging release of the dream home that we only just bought, a kitchen that I designed myself, and a garden that I had plans for.
We prayed about this.
We thanked God for how remarkably quickly we found a place to live.
And we continue to profess our trust that He will provide in a far more expensive area of this country than we are used to.
And yet,
It’s in the anxiety over the smaller abode we will keep, will we be comfortable?
It’s in wanting to avoid discomfort at all costs.
It’s in finding myself excited to move but then recalling all the reasons I’m not excited.
Moving homes, towns and countries is seldom a painless process. I grew up relocating every five years (or so) and it was never something I enjoyed. But I can see how God is using this time to bring into focus several areas that I have lost sight of—areas that I clearly need to work on and ask God to help me correct. It’s pretty obvious that in praying and being thankful for answers, I have well succeeded. But in remembering pivotal teachings, I have failed dismally.
If I am to put everything that God is showing me through this move into a nutshell, it’s that He must be my centre, my anchor and my focus; a concept I profess to embrace. This move is certainly bringing many of my character weaknesses to the fore and I sit squinting at a very ugly picture.
We are called to face times of hardship and transition with JOY. I must be joyful that I am being tested and that my weaknesses are glaring at me. I must pursue joy, which means seeking God because joy comes from the Lord. I must draw near to Him. God is with me, and this period provides an excellent opportunity to draw closer to Him. Will I take up this opportunity? Will I forsake the hang-ups I’ve conjured through losing sight of God? I sure hope so.
As a creative, finding significance in the invisible and not focusing so much on the visible is a challenge. We crave acknowledgment and validation for our tangible work (also a strong characteristic of a number 3 on the enneagram – hello).
But God knows my name. GOD. The literal be-all-and-end-all of life; He knows my name and has it written on his hand. But I’m pained by having to reintroduce myself in a new town? Queue another point of correction that has become painfully clear.
And so, this is where I am: not at the beginning of the journey but certainly not at an end. It’s more conventional to have a tied-up testimony of God’s faithfulness, a full story to share. But so many of us find ourselves in between, on our way from here to there. Although this is not a ‘testimony in a nutshell’, it is already a tale of God’s faithfulness.
I’m sharing these moving lessons with you for two reasons: One, that perhaps one of you finds yourself in a similar situation to me and can give me a telepathic high-five (or hug) because you get it the most. Two, that somewhere in this muddle of thoughts and feelings, something speaks to you, and in my weakness(es), you find some kind of prompt or encouragement. In a primarily digital world populated by highs, I’ve recently found that reading about others’ struggles helps me ground my own thoughts and experiences, so perhaps this piece will do that for you, too.
Leave a Reply