Time To Move On: Growing Beyond Things That No Longer Serve Us

Life is full of changes, challenges and disappointments, yet all of those things, are blessings that “give birth” to new life. Our challenges, obstacle and setbacks, are all “growing moments” and a part of our life cycle process; because if we’re not growing, we’re dying! Out of that painful process, we become more grounded, enlightened and our vision comes into focus.

Metaphorically, this process of spiritual, psychological and emotional rebirth is very similar to the physical pain we all experience during labor when we are born. As we labor through “birth canal” of challenges in our life, we need to remain mindful of God’s plan for us to be born into our purpose.

While we are in the womb, we are comfortable, cozy and “settled in” for the next 9 months. We become dependent on our mother and her body to feed, nurture and sustain our life.

However, at some point, the space starts to become tight…so tight in fact that we can barely move. The more we try to move, the more it hurts and we realize just how much we need more space; the once comfortable space we are in is forcing us out of our comfort zone, literally! The pain we experience from the lack of space becomes unbearable… we have no other choice. It’s at that time, the womb starts to contract and the space that we had grown so accustomed and comfortable to, is no longer the cozy place we once wanted to stay…now we want out! We want out so we can stretch and move and BREATHE…on our own; we no longer want to be dependent, but independent!

The contractions begin and squeeze us so tight, that we begin to fight against the process. The darkness is scary- we panic…but there is no turning back! Now we’re really in pain and uncomfortable, we’re second-guessing that maybe we should have stayed in the tight space after all.

We cannot understand the purpose of the pain we are experiencing during this process, is not to hurt us, but to help us get out of one space that no longer serves us… to a better space! Wait, what is that? We begin to see a small glimpse of light and we become hopeful that the pan will end soon; we now begin to go TOWARDS the light; the light is looking a lot better than the dark cramped space!

At last, we finally emerge- exhausted and a little bruised, we scream, cry, and take that first breath- on our own and it is amazing! Now, there is plenty of room to stretch and move and the space is endless!!! Ahhh, now we have forgotten all about that “other space”. Our vision is coming into focus and we are wide-eyed and excited to take in the new sights of our new life.

The definition of life is: “the ability to grow, change, etc., which separates plants and animals from things like water or rocks: the period of time when a person is alive: the experience of being alive.”

"Once we are born, we live. Over the cycle of our lives, we are constantly given “new life” at various stages. We use the term so freely and yet forget that the word “life” is so much more than a noun..It’s a process."

We get comfortable in our current “space” which can be a relationship, a job and friendships, etc. Those “spaces” can become tight, restrictive and begin to smother us. They no longer serve us and we are unable to expand to our full potential, were stifled; yet we know that there has to be more “room”/ opportunity for us outside the current space we are in. Ultimately, that un-serving “space” (i.e. relationship, job, friendship, etc.) begins to push us towards something greater.

Going through the dark canal/ journey of change is going to be scary and it’s going to hurt; we are going to cry and scream- mentally and emotionally in our souls.

"Getting through it is going to leave you bruised and battered mentally and emotionally; you literally are going to have to “fight for your life” to get out the other end."

Rest assured, you will come out, because staying in that space is not an option and it is not what God intended when He originally planted His seed (you) in that space. It was only for a season until you were “matured” and ready to emerge and sustain yourself in your new “space”.

So when the pains of life force you to move on, don’t fret. Know that bigger and better things are on the way.