Any change or adjustment that impacts your life in a significant way is a transition. Transitions are life’s way of asking us to examine our present state of living and also forcing us to develop and grow in various aspects of our being.
I am not in any way writing about transitions because I am through with them and perfect at handling them in this life; I’m sure life still has a lot to offer in that space because the journey is still on, but at least we can talk about some experiences and how I have responded to the transitions that have already happened.
To be honest, I have been through transitions in life, some of which I could and was able to prepare for, some I just couldn’t, because I didn’t even realize what they were, until later on when I am already in them. The most interesting has been my transition into the ministry and service of God, which is what I will be sharing about in this edition.
I got born again in December 2005 and immediately joined the scripture union choir in 2006 when I joined S.1 at secondary level, thanks to my spiritual mentor. From then, service to God was, according to my level of understanding then, giving my time and talents to God in any way possible because I love Him.
This service and way of life went on till I enrolled for university, and in my second semester at Makerere University 2013, I encountered a message that changed my way of thinking about the things of God. Listening to this man of God every time I had the chance to, things were a bit hard and different from what I knew about the mind of God and his word. To ease the pressure and for clarity, I started to watch Pr Creflo Dollar’s teachings that helped me to water/understand easily what the man of God planted, and just like that, I started to grow. By growing I mean in the understanding of the word, the things of God, evangelism, prayer and wisdom. God started to wrought in me every day, and am glad that He used me the way he did through my university life. [Extra Details withheld]
Little did I know that all these changes were some form of transition for me, and that I was becoming someone different from my peers. The things I knew started to put a lot of responsibility on my spirit, grew my sphere of influence, and gave me a reputation I wasn’t aware of yet. I would say it took me quite a long time to completely acknowledge what God was making me or had made me.
As obvious as it would be, I submitted to the ministry of the man I met at University because his teaching had changed my life, and immediately started serving under his ministry, firstly in the setup team, then eventually onto the worship team, and minutes become hours, hours become days, days become months, and just like that, am standing on the greatest altar in the country, because over the years, the ministry had grown. I am at this point, consciously unaware of who I am becoming, and how I am perceived, and instead am still living like a normal person. I was young, inexperienced in many things, shy, scared and unexpectedly standing in an uncommon space, with all these lights of glory that God had shone onto me through my service as a growing worship minister.
I am overwhelmed by the changes, but still shy or scared to talk about it, and so, I just live through the days and trust me, there’s been a heavy price to pay for that ignorance or may be, irresponsibility, thanks to the God who winks in the days of our ignorance.
Let me put this in perspective;
When you stand on such an altar, especially one that God has built himself and anointed selfless men to serve on it, and ministry has grown at a speed untamable by man, neither orchestrated by human wisdom, the things God does through you are beyond your power to fake or even sometimes explain. You just see things happen because God has chosen to use you as a vessel of mercy until your eyes are open to the bigger picture and the responsibility that comes with standing in such a place of influence. As it is the way of God that usually before we find our part in the gospel, we start by serving somewhere, be available etc and that’s where the experiences and lessons are. [worth talking about]
Like I said, living my life as a normal person, I had no clear boundaries, and standards that come with such responsibility, because as you grow in ranks, there are certain healthy boundaries you draw, lest the glory that comes with the increase can be your destruction.
In relation to the previous WiGTyT, even with all those changes, I was struggling with communicating correctly with people, and many other things we have as human beings graced by God to serve, which consequently led to several misjudgments and misunderstandings.
So this is what was happening in the context of transitions; I am anointed, and serving in graced place of ministry as a worshipper, and that consequently unveils me to the world, a world am not sure I was ready for, but God knows best, and still with that change, my mind is not yet aligned to the acknowledgement of that reality, and so I continue to live a normal life, which means that some choices and decisions am making at this time are not exactly entirely mature as they should be.
But thank God for prevenient grace. Yes, I have made mistakes, both on and off that altar, some of which I am glad I did, because I learnt from them and became a better minister, but some make me think about the various ways I could have handled things if I had acknowledged who I was becoming. Either way, God covered me, and along the way, gave me people to cover me, of whom I have a lot to say and thank God for.
Transitions can be overwhelming, but there is always a way to handle them, whether you are aware of them or not, One of which is having someone to talk to; someone more MATURE, and not just old.
If you have followed me from the first WiGTyTs, you will realize that some of my struggles sprung up from experiences that patterned my mindset a certain way, and that definitely affected my walk with the people I should have talked to then. Looking back I realize there was someone always willing to share their wisdom if I asked, because they have been through it. Good news is, I know that now, and it has helped me to reshape and reform my perspective about many things. [The word of God transforms us by renewing our minds]
The other important aspect is to be able to acknowledge who you are becoming, and use that information to make the right choices and decisions, especially in regard to fulfilling your purpose on earth. This includes career, relationships, and many other aspects that concern your life. The major key to your better future is you, and who you are becoming is very key in all this.
So, who are you becoming?
Where I am right now, I can gladly say I am grateful to God for helping me by His grace to discover myself, be a better person, and refocus my priorities because what matters at the end of this life is that I played my part in God’s storyline. Every mistake has been a lesson, every misunderstanding has been a stepping stone to growth, and all the things that look like a mess, God is using as raw materials for my ministry and message for the world. When He is done and complete, I will be a bigger testimony. He uses the frail and weak, so that no one claims the glory. He is God all by Himself.
You may not have gone through a transition like mine, never stepped on a big church stage and felt the demand, dealt with the expectations of people who see you mature because you “know too much” or had to deal with being seemingly liked by people who don’t really know you or judged by those who think they know you too well, literally dealing with the things that the enemy throws onto the spirit of greatness; pride, Jezebel, insecurity, pain, the thoughts of giving up, temptations you name it… But I believe you can still relate with these experiences in your career or family or wherever life has had to teach you its lessons from.
Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Christ who died for us, paid the price, and called us to himself regardless of who we were. We can only find forgiveness, grace, fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore if we never leave his right hand side. So, no matter the transition, know that God is with you, to help, comfort, deliver, teach and make you the person He desires. Only trust the God of that process, and let Him do what he is good at; bringing the best out of you.
Our end is of the Lord and it is a good end. These days are just the tip of the ice bag and every experience right now is just a shadow of the weight of Glory that God is yet to unveil in the days to come. For that reason therefore, let us not give up, but instead allow God to renew our strength in Him, and then we shall sow on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not grow tired. Let the feeble knees be strengthened, broken hearts healed, and wounded souls revived, and the name of Jesus and the message of his goodness shall reign in this life and beyond.
In future, we shall be able to talk about other forms of transitions, as God has wrought in me and according to his perfect timing, but for now, I hope my experience gives you reason to think about your life more intricately and help you to pause, and realign your self on the path God has intended for you. His purpose is more important than what you see and feel now. Stay on course, and the God who comforts and understands will Carry you through.
Stay Blessed
WiGTyT
