10 Bible Verses About Change and Transition
The cobalt skies have faded to grey, and aside from a few crumpled leaves, the poplar tree beside our house has shed her summer foliage. Most of the leaves are scattered on the deck in shades of burnt sienna, and I don’t have the heart to sweep them away just yet. I’ve never been great at handling change. As I consider this, I pull out my Bible verses about change and transition in life.
Today, I want to hold on to lingering twilight, campfires in the yard, and supper on the deck.
Everything within me wants to hold onto barefoot water fights and footraces around a flourishing garden.
Change can be good, but it can also be difficult.
Bible Verses About Change and Transition
Perhaps you’re navigating a change in life today, too.
I invite you to soak in the following truths as you look to the Lord to help you with this transition.
Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God as you navigate this transition.
Let’s turn to God’s Word.
10 Bible Verses About Change and Transition
1. Isaiah 43:19, ESV
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Just as God made a way for his people to return to him in repentance, he is making a way for you today.
He wants to refresh you and guide you. Press into him. He will carry you through this time of change.
2. Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
As God’s people moved toward the Promised Land, they feared the inhabitants of the land.
God reminded them of the one truth that would help them move forward: He was with them.
If are a follower of Jesus, God is with you too. He will never leave you. Cling to this as you step into this new season.
3. Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Some transitions are difficult.
You might be facing a transition you never would have chosen for yourself.
God promises that he can work all things, even the most painful situations, for the good of those who love him. Trust that you cannot see the full scope of this story from where you stand today. God is writing something beautiful, and he finishes what he starts.
4. Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.
Several years ago, I lost a job I loved. I was crushed. I didn’t understand why God allowed it to happen.
Less than a year later, our young daughter came to me and asked me to write a mother-daughter devotional book with her. I said yes, never imagining it would come to fruition.
Within a few months, we had written the book.
As I write to you today, that book has sold many thousands of copies.
It never would have happened if I hadn’t lost the job I loved.
God knew I was crushed by the loss, but he had a better plan. Even if the book I wrote with my daughter had only sold 10 copies, I would gladly exchange a writing career with a prestigious company for writing one book with my girl.
Trust that God is working in your situation too.
5. Ecclesiastes 3:1
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.
These words are easy to claim when life is going well.
Everyone loves a mountaintop season. But there are also seasons for loss, suffering, and hardship.
God uses adversity as his primary tool to help us grow in spiritual maturity. If you are facing a difficult transition, trust that this is a season. It, too, shall pass.
Bible Verses About Change and Transition and God’s Purposes
6. Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
God wants you to have hope as you face this transition.
Trust that his plans for you are good.
This leads to our next verse.
7. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
God spoke these words, through Jeremiah, to his people as they faced a 70-year period of captivity. He was telling them that even though they were exiles in a foreign land, they had hope in him. He would restore them.
No matter what you are facing, God’s plans for you are good.
Do your best to keep walking with him, trusting that he will bring his plan to completion.
8. Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
What is holding you back as you enter this new season?
Now is good time to throw off anything that is hindering you. This new beginning can be healing and filled with hope.
9. Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
God has good works prepared for you in this new season.
Ask him to show you what he is doing around you so that you can step into these good works.
You will find a sense of purpose and fulfillment as you align yourself with him.
10. Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Many people quote this verse as a way of saying they can do anything they set their mind to accomplish.
But we need to look at the context in which Paul wrote these words. He was imprisoned and didn’t know what his future held. He was reminding the Philippian church that they, too, could endure any difficult time because Jesus would help them.
These words encourage us to press forward through life’s difficult times. We can endure struggles because Jesus is with us.
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Let’s not apply these Bible verses about change and transition to our lives.
Practical Applications of These Bible Verses About Change and Transition to Our Lives
If you are facing a season of transition right now, here are a few principles to help you step into this time of change.
1. When seasons shift, give yourself extra white space.
White space is time set aside without obligation. It is time to think, settle, assess, and simply be present in your life.
It might be a quiet moment on the porch at the end of a long day, a walk around the block, or a few minutes locked in the bathroom while little fingers wiggle beneath the closed door.
White space is space to settle, breathe, and be. Our brains need time to rest, and in seasons of transition, it is immensely helpful to give our minds a break. The purpose of white space is to have no agenda whatsoever.
Most importantly, invite God into your white space. Make it a time to rest in his presence. Open your heart to anything he wants to impress upon you, and simply rest in the awareness that he is with you.
2. Handle change by holding your schedule loosely.
Transitional seasons are not good times for adding commitments. Think twice before you say yes to another committee or sign up to lead the local food drive. Reconsider before you sign up to coach the soccer team or lead the scout troop.
Leave some wiggle room in your life. You don’t know what the demands of this new season might actually look like as you live them out. Resist the urge to fit as much as possible into your days.
It’s also important not to force an agenda that worked in a different season of life or try to conform to a mold that no longer fits. This is a time to hold your schedule loosely. The pieces will fall into place soon enough, and you will be able to add to your schedule when the time is right.
3. Extend grace to yourself and those closest to you.
Transitions are times for extending grace to those who are closest to you.
Even more, extend grace to yourself. Recognize that it is okay you’re struggling to make life flow as you adjust.
You might need to extend grace to yourself as you lie awake at night with a spinning head. If this is the case, try not to become frustrated with yourself for not being able to sleep.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received regarding sleeplessness is this: Your goal is not to sleep; your goal is to rest. Don’t get frustrated when you can’t sleep. Simply appreciate the opportunity to relax your body and rest in the presence of the Lord. This kind of rest is deeply restorative.
Also, extend grace to yourself when it’s hard to juggle the requirements of your days. Everyone will survive if you don’t have dinner ready on time, if you don’t meet the deadline, and if they have to fold their own laundry.
I’m always surprised when I struggle with how to embrace change in a new season. I suppose I shouldn’t be caught off guard. I consider these thoughts as autumn’s crumpled leaves scuttle across the deck, and a cool north wind speaks of what is to come. There is more change blowing in from the north, and I arise to meet it with grace.
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If these Bible verses about change and transition blessed you, I invite you to explore our family devotionals and free online library of devotionals and eBooks below. Most of all, I pray you turn to God as your anchor during this time of transition. God never changes. Let him be the stable source of comfort you need.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Calling All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Find Peace in God’s Presence
I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
