Rhythm of Change... by Joy Cofield

Life is full of continuous change and transitions.  During these spaces of moving from one place to another internally or externally, it can sometimes be difficult to find a consistent rhythm of life when we are in the midst of so much change.  And yet, maybe CHANGE and TRANSITION becomes the rhythm of life. The Holy Spirit can teach us to be grounded in Him moment by moment in the midst of whatever situation we find ourselves. Breath prayers such as:  “Lord, be with me,”;  “Be Still and know that I am God,”; or “Peace be still,”  are prayers that can be whispered in a breath.  Being mindful in the moment that Christ is with us always brings a sense of remembering that we are not alone during the changes that come.  The space of transition is just as sacred or holy a place as being on the ending or the beginning  steps of another part of our transformational journeys. The space “in between” must not be discounted in any way as just “hanging around” until the next step. It is part of the workings of Christ in us.Transitions are like bridges leading us from one place in our souls to another.  It can be more of a “grey” space than black and white which can cause feelings of confusion, fear,  anxiety, shame or guilt. The “crossing over” from one place to another in this transition (transformational journey) depends on trusting Christ who has given us His presence through the Holy Spirit and travels over   that “bridge” with us from one season of our lives to another.Change and transition can be one of the most difficult or one of the most celebrated events to participate in life depending on the circumstances. Sometimes it’s both/and. It always means that something has ended and that something is beginning.  In many cases, the ending and the beginning overlap each other in the same way that the change of seasons overlap when moving from summer to autumn or winter to springThis rhythm of change can happen so much that it gives us a great desire for something and or someone that is solid and unchanging.  Practicing a daily rhythm of prayer such as morning, noon, and night is one way of grounding us in being aware of the presence of Christ. Many times these are short prayers or passages of Scripture that are written specifically for those times of day which can become familiar to one’s heart and mind when repeated often.  It anchors us to keep returning to Christ in the same way that a nursing baby returns to its mother for nourishment at a regular routine.  This is not to add to your “to do” list of growing in your Christian spiritual journey. It’s just giving a suggestion if you feel invited to try this.The journey of change and transition is a tool that the Holy Spirit uses to transform us by inviting us to trust Him in ways we’ve never had to before.   The bridge of transition and or transformation is a place to remember that Christ wants to be with us in the driver’s seat and that He is to be trusted fully.  Do I always like change? No!  There are plenty of times that I get in the way of what Christ may be teaching me through the changes.  Driving across a bridge has become a sacred space for me. As often as possible, I make sure it is a place of silence as a reminder to remember that Jesus Christ IS with me every single time I am going from “one place to another” as He is transforming me into His likeness.The rhythm of change touches every part of our ordinary lives. To me, the rhythm of change is integrated with the rhythm of the ordinary that we all experience in our day to day lives.   Whether we respond to Christ’s work in us with laughter, tears, anger, frustration or anxiety, He IS the anchor that is steadfast and constant even when everything around us is changing one way or another.“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)Thanks be to God!