The Tension of Transition
By: Leighton Lavey
“Transition” is probably the most fitting word to describe this season of life for many. Recently, my family and I moved to a new location to serve in a new role within the church. That’s not all, like most pastors, we found ourselves in a bit of transition coming out of Covid.
The tension of transition can make it easy to feel lost, clueless, nervous, anxious, frustrated, or even stressed. So, it is very important we learn how to navigate our way through these seasons.
We often fall prey to unending questions such as:
“Will God really come through?”
“Will I ever make it?”
“When will I be able to live in my purpose?”
“When will I be able to be in a healthy place?”
“When will I find what makes me come alive?”
“When will I find who I’m called to do life with?”
“When will I find the right job?”
There’s a man named David with a similar story.
If you don’t jump to his glory days, you will learn he had to first navigate transition before he could defeat Goliath and become king. David had to learn to praise in the pit before he was promoted to the palace.
There is real tension in transition.
I don’t like waiting. Surely, I am not the only one who doesn’t like waiting on food, my wife to get ready, my phone to load, traffic to move, or if I am being honest, at times it can be difficult to wait on God. I would venture to say I am not the only one who fights with this.
Transition is when you find yourself between the problem and the promise.
David shows us how to faithfully and fruitfully navigate the uncertain waters of the transition.
He was anointed as King by God before he was appointed as King by the people.
👉 1 Samuel 16:10-13- Anointed as king (15 YRO)
👉 2 Samuel 5:1-10- Appointed as king (30 YRO)
Often, the things the world overlooks, God invites. He chooses the “nobodies” (1 Cor.) to expose the hollow pretensions of “somebodies”. He doesn’t choose the put together; He puts together the broken to display His great hand. What happens after is crazy. David did not immediately step into his role as king. He was facing the tension of transition. Once David was anointed as king, he was sent out to the field to take care of sheep. David had to wait 15 years before he could be king. What if he had given up on year 7, 8, 9, or 10? We would not have much of what we do from scripture.
David had 4 anchors he used to stay faithful and victorious in his tension of transition.
✔️💥1.) The Presence of God
David worshipped in the pit before he was ever in the palace. Don’t wait to worship, worship now. Seek His presence now.
David was making music before the Lord in 1 Sam. 16:14-21. He was taking care of sheep and playing the lyre. He didn’t wait to get to the palace to worship, he started worshipping in the field. Pastors, are you worshiping God and pursuing his presence now? Don’t wait for better circumstances or a different time, use this opportunity to worship God wherever your feet are.
When the presence of God shows up things change. The dead rise, the paralyzed are healed, the blind start to see, the hopeless find hope, the defeated find victory, the anxious find peace, and the addicted find freedom. The presence of God still speaks and moves today. Worship is an opportunity where we can invite the presence of God into our current circumstances.
✔️💥2.) The Promises of God
David didn’t try some empty pep talk. He reminded Goliath and his brothers of the truth, that the same God who delivered and called him in the past will deliver him in the present.
Look at your “Goliath”, the same God who delivered you from trouble in the past will today too.
David reminded himself of God’s promise. God’s promises never change. CNN, Fox News, social media, friends, and ministry all change. However, the truth of God’s word never does. May we be people who not only speak his word but also take the time to cling to it in uncertainty.
What promises do you cling to? A few promises I hold tight to are:
A peace that surpasses understanding in anxiety.
No temptation has overtaken except what is common to man. God will give me the strength to resist.
When I am clueless – He gives wisdom without finding fault.
When I feel alone – I have a friend that never leaves.
When I feel useless - I’m his masterpiece who is chosen, beloved, redeemed, and bought at a price.
When I feel defeated - Greater is He in me, than I in this world.
When I feel stuck – He works together all things for good.
The world’s wisdom is foolish, and the opinions of man have an agenda. However, the promises of God have power, clarity, and freedom.
✔️💥3.) People of God strengthen it
In 1 Samuel 23: 16-18, David had Jonathan strengthen and encourage him in his walk. Your faith and ministry on this Earth should not be done alone. It sounds cliché, but we are truly better together. When Satan isolates- he often dominates.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” - Ecc. 4:9-12
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” - Pro. 27:17
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” - Hebrews 10:23-25
“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” – James 15:6
Who do you sharpen? Who are you fully accountable with?
✔️💥>><<4.) The practices of God see things come to pass.
We like to bypass this one. It requires us to put our money where our mouth is. We cannot be people who only talk the talk. At some point, we have to walk out what we proclaim to be true.
David was winning battles in secret before he was ever promoted to king. Are we practicing what we’re preaching? Let’s take that a step further.
Are we being pure in what we say, watch, and listen to?
Are we sharing the gospel?
Are we being men/women of honesty and integrity without self-aggrandizing and exaggerating?
Are we serving others outside of our paid ministry job? We must become people who actively practice what we proclaim.
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” – James 2:14-17
“But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.” - James 2:18-19
“You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” [e] and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” – James 2:20-24
“In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” - James 2:25-26
However, God is faithful to see us through! We must go through transition to be rooted deeper in the presence, promises, people, and practices of God.
May this encourage you in your transition - God has not forgotten you. David had to wait 15 years. While it could be easy to throw in the towel, you’re called to greater purposes. Don’t you dare give up, or give in because you haven’t seen ‘it’ come to pass. Let me remind you, mighty warrior in the faith, your God is still good, faithful, and on time. Stay rooted and anchored in your time of transition. It is worth the wait.
Leighton and his wife, Lauren, serve in Somerset, Kentucky at First Baptist Church Somerset. Leighton serves as Associate Pastor of Recreation and Evangelism. Prior to his Associate Pastor role, Leighton served as Student and Young Adults Pastor for six years in Midway, Kentucky where he was blessed to watch the Lord change lives and grow an incredible Student Ministry. Leighton has a heart for boldly and creatively reaching the lost with the message of the Gospel. He currently holds a Criminal Justice Bachelors and Masters of Theology degree from Campbellsville University. When Leighton's not preaching he enjoys getting outside, lifting, watching sports, and staying active.