necessary endings aren’t fatal
My husban'd’s mother transitioned to heaven last Saturday night. It was the end of her life here on earth, and the beginning of a much more glorious one which will transcend even her most fantastical plans. Of which she had many.
Just like you can always count on change in this life, it is important to also embrace necessary endings.
I've been walking through one of these myself the past 18 months or so, transitioning from leading the nonprofit I founded twenty years ago to embarking on a new and varied career in business in ministry. Last week I took further steps on that path, mindful of all the "feels", which I certainly have had throughout the process.
Letting go of what you know is hard, but if God is calling you to do it, it's because he knows you can't embark on "next" while you're still clinging to where you've been.
You can't invest in healthy relationships while stuck in unhealthy ones
You can't take creative risks if you're intent on staying safe
Your heart can't receive love if it's overflowing with past hurts
You won't have time to say "yes" to great things if you're not willing to say "no" to good ones
The balance is in being sensitive to the timing.
Sometimes you may feel ready for an ending but God is saying "not yet." When that happens, make the most of the in-between:
Be thoughtful about what you'll feel when the ending does come... Have a plan for the support you might need, whether to heal from loss or to build something new (or both!)... Start talking about "next" even before it comes so that when it happens you'll already feel more present in it...
Endings are necessary, but they aren't fatal. In many ways, they're only the beginning of new life.
This is the hope I know and cling to.
For TRUTH...
- Constance
