Yesterday, I sat my exam in change management. I kind of enjoyed it. I enjoyed learning about change theories applied to the workplace and seeing the connection with the counselling theories I had been introduced to a few years ago when I undertook another course of study.

Sitting with the Lord, I started thinking about change in my own life and of all the study and reading I had done, what resonated with me most. I realised it culminated in one thought. Very simply, that changing how we think is not enough. If it was, we could think our way out of every bad situation and we would not have the increasing numbers of the population struggling under the burden of rising stress, anxiety and numerous types of mental health problems. The key involves our minds, but also our hearts. We need new experiences to change how we feel. The theory for me testifies to the fact that we need both the Word of the God and the Spirit of God in our lives. Jesus told the Pharisees “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 3:35 NLT). We need to not just know about Jesus, we need to experience Him and know Him intimately for ourselves. Proverbs 20:30 came quickly to mind: sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways (GNB).

I remembered the four stages of Nicholson’s Transition Cycle (1990): Preparation, Encounter, Adjustment, Stabilisation and I thought of Moses at the burning bush. He had a lifetime of preparation and then there was that Encounter that changed everything. The Bible is full of stories of ordinary people who had an encounter with the Lord and were never the same. I thought back to my own life…

Lord, I am ready for my own Encounter. Thank you for all these small encounters we have been having day-in and day-out over many years. You have been training me to hear You better. You have been pouring in Your love in a steady trickle day after day. You have proven Yourself faithful to me. Here we are- it must be nearly 20 years of writing these journals. Morning by morning You have woken me up to pour in Your love. You have held me and sustained me and brought me through so much of life’s traumas. And here we are. Now I’m ready for the More Lord. I am prepared. You know my heart’s hunger and thirst. There is nothing I want more than You.

Then I saw a picture of a catapult. The elastic being stretched back and held in order to send the projectile forward. In the same way the archer draws back his arrow on the elastic of the bow. Movement will only come when the tension is released and the archer lets go. The arrow cannot be stuck in that position, the letting go is needed for the arrow to fly. I realised the purpose of being drawn back is to build the momentum and the whole point is not to remain stuck in that place of tension forever. The whole purpose is to let go.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.(Isaiah 43: 18-19 NIV)

I need to let go Lord. How do I do that?

“Proper closure is needed. Mourn your losses, celebrate your victories and MOVE. You need to make the choice to take that very first step. I have a People determined to stay babies. They are ready to walk but refuse to take the first step. They have become chubby and fat and it is slowing them down. They need to walk but they will not. They are held captive to fear. ‘What if it happens again Lord they cry?’, but I say Look! Your bodies are ready to walk. It’s your mind that won’t let you. Your bodies are crying out to be exercised; for muscles to stretch and grow. It is in the MOVING that your strength will return, not in the staying still. This is what TRUST looks like-it is forward motion. Stepping out, day by day, trusting that I have got this. I am your Daddy, your Papa whose eyes are ever on you and My arms are always ready to catch you. Sometimes, I let you fall, other times I am ready to scoop you up the minute I see you falter. But Trust knows that I am there and have never taken My eyes off you. I know what you need. You must MOVE My babies. You are meant to grow. Your limbs and muscles will atrophy if you stay in this place forever. Trust will MOVE you. It is the forward momentum. So step out!

One step is all I ask. I only need one step, because when you move, I move too. I rise to meet you just like the Father runs to the prodigal son. I am watching for you and waiting for you to MOVE. If you give me the slightest indication, I will meet you there in that Movement. You will find Me in the Movement.”

I felt the Lord impress that word ‘Movement’ on me and I began to think of it in the musical context. I went online to read the definition in Wikipedia: a movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately as stand-alone pieces, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession. Another definition adds: movements can follow their own form, key and mood and often contains a complete resolution or ending.

The Lord continued to speak to me, “You are part of something bigger. Your piece is connected to others. You need to see that you are part of a larger story. Your movement will usher in others to move also. You are all part of My wonderful story. So don’t hold back, because your holding back will hinder other’s movement too. Without your ending, they cannot have their beginning. See that your movement is only a piece of the whole story. There is much, much more to come. So let go. It is someone else’s turn to pick up the piece. You will get your rest and when the timing is right, you will move again. For I am the Conductor and I know your story. I know what happens next. There is great beauty in your movement but I also see it as part of my larger story. You don’t do this alone. My story encompasses all who will embark on this journey. You are all making your way home. The seasons will change. The mood will not always be the same. There will be great highs and deep lows. This is the nature of experience. But there needs to be a beginning and ending to every movement for this Great Dance to continue. In My story, there are many more movements to come. Are you willing now to let go of yours so the next one can start. The arrow is poised. I want you to fly. Are you willing to let go?”

Isaiah 40: 31 (AMP)

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]
Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];
They will run and not become weary,
They will walk and not grow tired.

2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT)

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.