5 Bible Verses for Transition

Recently, I've been through a lot of transitions. TCKs go through transition all the time, whether that's moving apartments, changing schools, having a sibling live halfway across the world for college, moving countries again, or any other possible type of transition.

For me, this one was moving again. My family was in our home country, the USA, for a year, and we just returned to our country in South Asia. Past times in the States have usually been short, typically over a summer break. This time was different. We spent a year with our extended family and our church family in our hometown. We participated in four different sports, went on retreats, served in our community, and one of us even got a driver's license (me! that's me!). It was a seriously great year, and I came out of it with some of the absolutely best friends.

However, that made it incredibly hard to leave. It's never easy to leave somewhere, but when you've spent an entire year growing friendships and deepening relationships,

The tolls of transition are mental, emotional, and even physical! We all know what it feels like to still be waking up way too early or way too late because our bodies have no clue what time it is. We also know how we have both bad days & good days when it comes to missing people and places.

These verses have really encouraged me on both sides of this transition. I have spoken them to myself, choosing to believe their truths. It is so good to surround ourselves with the truth when it comes to hard and emotionally challenging circumstances.

The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Job 1:21b (KJV)

This verse has been the most powerful verse for me over these past few weeks. I have repeated it to myself over and over again, and taken it as my life verse for this season. Job had to endure so many trials; he lost his wealth, his servants, his animals, and his children. Job went through so much, and he still praised God! While I have had to go through trials for sure, they are nowhere near the level of hardship that Job had to endure. Even through my worry and my sadness and my grief, I can still continue to praise the name of the Lord.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

The entire 'do not worry' passage in Matthew 6:25-34 has been so encouraging to me over the past few months, and I would recommend that you go read it right now! I studied this in-depth for one week, and I came out of it feeling more secure. One of the most encouraging parts for me is when Jesus talks about how God provides for the birds of the fields, and how we are more valuable than they. The truth is that we are VALUABLE to God, and he takes care of us; we don't have to worry about it!

Weeping may last through the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 30:5b (NIV)

This has also been a verse I've kept in my mind recently. I even had it up on my letterboard for a while, before I had to take it down for the move. It is especially meaningful to me because while I've struggled with anxious thoughts at night, this verse reminds me that joy will come in the morning. The Lord will provide, and my sadness or anxiety will only last for a short time.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:20 (NIV)

This verse is so important because it reminds us of the truth that our citizenships (whatever they may be!) of this world do not matter; our true citizenship is in heaven, with Christ. So wherever I may be in this world, and wherever I may be 'from', my true destination is heaven and my true home is heaven.

{God} will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:8 (NIV)

I read this verse for the first time a few weeks ago, and it was so encouraging because it says that God will keep us firm; it is not our own power in which we stand firm, it is by the power of God! The Bible says to "stand firm" over & over again, and that can seem like a huge challenge, especially when it feels like we keep getting tossed around by storms! Thankfully, we don't have to stand in our own power, but by the superior power of God!

Lastly, I want to share Philippians 4:7, which I have been praying for myself over the last few weeks. It says "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". I desire to have the peace that passes all understanding. I desire for God's peace to protect my heart and my mind. This is a great verse to pray over yourself and over others.

I hope that this article encouraged you and that as you go through transition in your life, you choose to cling to the truth and set yourself on the rock.