Transitions

All of us go through transitions in life.  In the case of physiological development, we transit from being a baby to a toddler to a child to a teenager to a young adult and finally to an adult.  Transition has to do with the ending of a phase and moving on to another.  In this regard, we can go through many transitional phases based on the environment we are put through.  Moving one's house, educational institution, work place and place of worship are some instances of situational transition.  Beyond coping with the change in environment, one has to, more importantly, deal with the psychological transition that would ensue. It's not easy to say goodbye to people, places and experiences that have been important to us.  On the other hand, there could be relief over an impending end to unpleasant state of affairs.   Whatever might be the case, we would certainly be excited and anxious over what is to come whether it's a baby, a new posting, a new venture, a trip, a wedding or some other event.

There are major transitions in a person's life that would impact him/her in a substantial way.  Based on my own personal experience, the following are some major turning points in a person's life:

1.  Graduation:  your qualifications in life will determine the job(s) that you would take on, which would determine your paycheck and inevitably lead to the people whom you would interact with.  Paycheck could determine the kind of lifestyle one would lead; people could influence us in a positive or negative way.  This means we could be predisposed to up keeping a certain lifestyle that we may have to alter if our fortunes change for the worse. 

2.  Marriage: when two people from different backgrounds come together for holy matrimony, there are bound to be lots of adjustments and compromises in the initial years.  No longer does one think about himself or herself alone, like in the happy care-free days of single-hood, but the needs of your spouse would have to be factored in.  The romantic days of courtship will give way to the reality of married life, exposing one's warts and all.  Commitment to the marriage vows becomes the key to sustaining one's marriage.

3.  Conversion: believing in Christ as personal Saviour and Lord can take place anytime in a person's life, but usually when one is of age enough to understand the significance of the decision.  This would invariably influence one's value system through the circle of friends one mixes with.  Beyond that is the work of the Holy Spirit seeking to transform us from the inside out.  His sanctification work (making us holy) continues until the day when we leave this earth.  

4.  Children:  married life with children is very much different from one without children.  When a child arrives in a family, the routine of life would revolve around that child.  Once the focus of attention has been on one's spouse, it now shifts to the child(ren).  That is nature's way of ensuring a helpless child is well taken care of until he/she becomes independent.   The education and upbringing of children in their formative years are crucial to their life's journey ahead.  More importantly, the transmission of spiritual values should be the foundational bedrock that parents ought to lay when they are young.

5.  Work:  the first couple of years would usually be a time of adjustment, to new environment and to new people.  We learn from colleagues who are more experienced and would usually be required to go for courses to equip us with the necessary knowledge and skills to do our work.  We quickly learn that there is an appraisal system and we report to someone higher than us for the purpose of work accountability.  As time progresses, we become more familiar with the way things function and could possibly initiate things.  With competence and experience, we may get promoted and assume greater responsibility.  When we do move on to a new place, the whole process would repeat again, albeit at a faster pace.   Currently, I am about to transit to another new work environment. 

6.   Bereavement: the passing away of a friend or loved one is always painful.  When close familiar ties are broken and taken away from us, we cannot but experience loss and helplessness.  I have mentioned about the grieving process one goes through in an earlier blog.  It would take awhile to get over the loss and resume life once again, without the friend or loved one.  

The Bible talks about a great transition that would soon to that place when Christ comes again.  This is known as the rapture of the church, whereby the saints of God would be translated out of this earth to be with God.  (1 Thes 4:13-18).  Those who are still alive when Christ returns are known as the omega-transition generation, a term coined by Bill Hamon.  Christians await in eager anticipation for this to happen.  In the meantime, we pray, "Come O Lord!" or "Maranatha!" (1 Cor 16:22).