Transitions in Life
Transitions in life can be one of the toughest things we go through. You have heard that the only thing constant is change but what you have not heard is change is hard. I know for me changing jobs was always hard. You move from a position where you finally knew what you needed to do to meet everyone’s expectations then suddenly you change jobs, and you must start over. You must make new friends, learn new task, figure out timelines and get to know the new boss. Transition come in all shapes and sizes. Maybe you have moved from one house to another or moved from being single to being married or being married to being single. Some of you have moved from being a child to becoming a parent. It doesn’t matter what the transition is they all come with challenges.
The bible paints us a picture of someone who transitioned. Genesis 37 starts telling us the story of Joseph. He was a smart young man born into a family of shepherds. He learned the job well and became his father’s favorite. He grew in size and knowledge. His father even made him a coat of many colors to show how pleased he was with him. The problem was Joseph had older brothers that didn’t think he was so special. One day Joseph was sent out to the fields to check on his older brothers. They didn’t like their little brother checking up on them, so they threw him into a dry well. Some of the brothers wanted to kill him but others did not so they ended up selling him as a slave (Genesis 37:12-36) and he was taken to Egypt. Joseph went from favored son to slave.
The bible records that in Egypt Joseph was sold to a man named Potiphar (Genesis 39). Joseph went from being a regular slave to being placed in charge of Potiphar’s household. He had been doing a good job for his master but then one day some trouble caused Potiphar to throw Joseph in prison. Joseph went from slave in charge of the household to prisoner.
By the end of chapter 39 we find Joseph in prison. Within a few verses we find Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison. He was still a prisoner himself, but he was in charge of all the other prisoners. There are a series of events that lead up to Genesis 41:14 where Joseph the prisoner is brought before the King of the land and by the end of the meeting Joseph is placed in charge of the palace, and all the people of Egypt. Joseph went from being a prisoner to being second to the king of Egypt.
Later in the book of Genesis you will see that Joseph and his family were reunited. Through all these transitions we see one common thing recorded in the bible. It says that the LORD was with Joseph. The LORD was with Joseph when he was in his father’s house, when he was sold as a slave, when he became a prisoner, and when he became a prince in Egypt.
It doesn’t matter where you are if God is with you. All the transitions were hard for Joseph as they are for you. Keep the LORD close to you and lean on God for your strength through these times. The only secret to surviving transition is holding close to God.
One last comment. I don’t think it is a mistake that Genesis ends with the story of a shepherd who becomes a prince and Exodus begins with a story of a prince who becomes a shepherd. Changes in life will come and not always in a direction we think is good. Keep God close and walk through the change with confidence that it will all work out for your good.
