It is hard to believe we have arrived in August already, but alas, it’s true. This year (and summer) is flying by, and soon it will be time for kiddos to be back in school.
As we have seen throughout the Summertime Reset series, our body, mind, and soul need a reset to keep us moving forward. Our lives were not meant to go without taking breaks.
I have seen several pastors, teachers, professors, and others who have used portions of the year or the summer to take a sabbatical.
Some universities or companies provide a sabbatical at the traditional time (every 7 years) or move it up after a certain period of time with a company. Many companies don’t provide for a sabbatical but encourage employees to use all of their allotted vacations.
Sabbaticals provide a moment for people to re-group. After the years we have experienced, I think it goes a bit further – I think sabbaticals, vacations, rest, and rejuvenation can lead to transformation in our lives.
I was listening to the At the Table podcast hosted by Patrick Lencioni’s company as they discussed the concept of retirement. For many of us, retirement is associated with age. We work at a company or multiple companies until we hit some imaginary magical age and hang up our work life for a life of doing something.
The discussion flipped this idea on its head and asked the listener to think of retirement as moving into something you truly loved to do, and the kicker was if you could do this for your work…well, that was the icing on the cake.
My dad retired when he stopped having fun (close to age 70). Others I know retired at 55 or 65. But what if you could retire at age 25?
Interesting concept, huh?!
I have known for some time that I want the second half of my career life to be more impactful than the first half, which has caused me to do some serious thinking on what that looks like.
Just as our work life or career life transforms based on what we desire or how our skills evolve, our inner life is transforming as well.
What comes to mind when you think transformation or metamorphosis?
For me, it’s a butterfly.
The butterfly is a beautiful reminder of God’s transformational process in our lives. These beautiful creatures take time to mature and grow inside their cocoon before it’s metamorphosis is complete.
It’s beautiful when it enters our world and looks nothing like what it was before – just like us.
When Christ enters our life, we see our world differently. The old passes away, and the new take over. Christ breathes life into our lives.
Transformation is a process, not a destination. The world wants us to think that there is a destination for everything in our lives, but it's not true.
The simple truth is the spiritual life of a believer, a Christian, is that we are continually to be transformed to look more and more like our Heavenly Father.
Paul says in Philippians 3:12,
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
Christ changes us. Whether you have been a seasoned believer for 50 years or accepted Christ yesterday, your transformation is continual.
The best part about the Christian walk is the finish line – heaven. Our journey may involve many peaks and valleys, but we learn something that transforms us through every experience.
So, what about you? What does your transformation look like?
Can you see how God has transformed you through your life?
What transformation story does God want to display through you?
It could be an adoption story, breaking free from an addiction, working through grief, or landing the job that changes your family’s destiny. Whatever your story, God is writing it.
Our lives are changing, or rather transforming, every minute of every day. Our transformation won’t be complete until we see our Lord face-to-face. However, we can rest in the assurance that God is at work within us, and the more we embrace Him, the more we look like Him.
As we conclude our Summertime Reset series, spend some time reflecting on your transformation. What changes do you see in your life today that were not there a year ago? What do you need to let go of or embrace?
Let God transform you from the inside out, because as Paul said, we have not yet attained our goal. Keep pressing on!
Prayer
Lord, thank you for using a butterfly to illustrate the power of transformation in our lives. Would you please continue to chip away the bad in our lives, leaving only the best parts visible for the world to see? Amen!
Resources
- Transformed Devotional Plan (Rick Warren)
- Jenette’s Story – Part 1 and Part 2
- Should you retire?
Listen On…
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