SEASONS

As we enter fall, I am reminded of how much of a summer girl I am. I love heat, beaches, a cool breeze, shorts, and I tend to stray away from any article of clothing that requires me to combat the cold. So what I am about to say sounds contradictory, but I am not going to lie to you, the cooler weather in Oklahoma may be calling my name! It has been hot for a little too long and we need a slight breeze!

Speaking of seasons, today I am going to discuss a season of life that I am in that maybe some of you are in. Last month I discussed the concept of time (check out that blog post here) and how frustrating it can be when life feels like it has you in a holding cell. I spoke on the fact that God takes His time to develop us so that we can have strength for where He has placed us in. In order to introduce this topic on seasons, let’s look at these verses from the writer Solomon:

“For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I wanted us to read these scriptures because the truth is, each and every one of us is in one of these periods of life right now! Some of us are laughing while some are grieving. Some of us are dancing and others can’t find their rhythm. When seasons change and you do not know how to adapt to the season you are in, you can find yourself miserable or easily frustrated. We tend to harp on the past and what “great” times we used to have instead of being present in the moments God has us in now. Pinpoint where you are and allow me to give you some context for where God has me.

Personally, these past two months have been some of the toughest for me financially. Not only was I NOT being a good steward of my savings, but speaking engagements were not coming in like they used to, my website expired, my phone wasn’t working, I overdraft three or four times, and it was a struggle to get gas during the week. When I tell you I was going through it, I was going through it. Not to mention, I still had to lead my women’s ministry, be a good girlfriend, read my Word, learn how to communicate my feelings, and I still felt empty on most days. I found myself wishing for the job that I was not supposed to have, blaming everyone else, and not taking responsibility for my actions.

The middle of September was the worst and I was not seeing my season as beautiful or anything admirable. But by the last week of September, I realized how each week the Lord provided for me financially in some way. I never missed a meal, I had several poetry engagements including Transformation Church, He held me in my tears, and now I am excited about what He will continue to do. In the midst of my doubt, God was trying to shift my perspective on where I am and whose I belong to. Just because the season of life you are in may not be joyful to you does not mean that it is not beautiful. I think our image of what is beautiful is misconstrued. There is beauty in a valley because that is where we totally learn to lean and rely on Jesus. There is beauty in the mountaintop because at the top of our successes we finally see (again) that God is indeed FAITHFUL.

So this month I am asking the Holy Spirit to change our perspectives on what we deem beautiful. I pray we find Him in the mundane, the seasonal change, and in the answered/unanswered prayer. I ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to us in a whole new way as we trust Him. He cares for you and He sees you. Be encouraged.