Mornings with Tess – September 3, 2025
Beloved, I believe with all my heart that we are living in a season of transition. You may have felt it lately—like you’ve been moving from one storm to the next, wondering why the way has been so difficult. In prayer this morning, I sensed the Lord whispering that this isn’t punishment. This is preparation for promotion.
Think of Joseph, David, Paul, and even Jesus. Each one walked through the wilderness before stepping into a new season of calling. It was never wasted. It was a refining place, a training ground for what came next.
Transition Feels Like Wilderness
Sometimes transition doesn’t look like what we expect. It looks like hardship. It looks like silence from heaven. It looks like everything pressing against us at once.
But Scripture reminds us:
- “Listen in silence before Me” (Isaiah 41:1)
- “I will harden you to difficulties” (Isaiah 41:10)
- “Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3)
The wilderness is not designed to break you. It’s meant to strengthen you. God is refining your character, purifying your faith, and sharpening you into someone who can carry the next level of responsibility with humility and grace.
What God May Be Shaping in You
In seasons like this, I’ve learned to sit with the Lord and ask Him: “What are You working on in me?”
It may be…
- Letting go of control and trusting Him more deeply.
- Killing pride that whispers we can do it all ourselves.
- Stretching our obedience in time, giving, or forgiveness.
- Strengthening our integrity so we can stand in greater places of influence.
None of this is easy, but beloved, it is holy work. God is not punishing you. He is preparing you.
Comfort Zones and Growth
I was reminded this morning that comfort zones are like vacation houses—they’re lovely for rest, but they’re not meant to be our home. Real life, real growth, always happens outside of what feels comfortable.
Transition squeezes us, like a tube of toothpaste, revealing what’s really inside. But that squeezing doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means God is getting you ready for fruitfulness. As Jesus said in John 15, He prunes so we may bear even more fruit.
A Word for You Today
If you are walking through a wilderness right now, hear this: you are not lost. You are being prepared.
Your season of transition is temporary. You are moving forward, not backward. You are being refined, not defined. And on the other side of this, there is promotion, blessing, and a deeper identity in Him.
Join the Conversation
I’d love to hear what this message stirred in your heart. Are you in a season of transition? How is God using it to prepare you?
👉 Come share your reflections and prayer requests on the Fortress Facebook page: The Fortress 1230 AM WKBO. Let’s walk through this season together, encouraging one another along the way.
