Seasons keep Changing

Seasons. Have you noticed how drastically attitudes change as the Seasons do? When Fall and Winter sink in, many people become introspective and quiet. It's a time of rest and rejuvenation from the busy, filled days of Spring and Summer. But when Spring and Summer come, it's almost a breath of fresh air - literally. It's the time that we've waited and longed for all Winter long. The time when new growth happens, and the sun is out - and people are out and about.

Seasons keep Changing. It's not only a physical fact that the earth changes four times a year, but it's also very real in our daily lives as humans. As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

" 1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace."


Throughout the seasons of life we're taught, given, and challenged. Often I hear the question "why do we have to suffer?". And my response has always been along the lines of "when in your life have you felt the strongest growth and connection to God?" More often than not, the times of struggles and sufferings draw people closer to the Lord. We call out to him in our desperate hours of need. We realize that our world is finite, breakable, and unstable without God's firm foundation under our feet.

Trials and sufferings are in no way a walk in the park. Quite the opposite - it's like walking through hell on earth for many. Our hearts are broken, we're devastated, we don't know what way is up and what way is right - we're confused, clouded.... stuck.

So how do we face the trials? How do we get through the valley to stand again on the beautiful mountains?? The answer is... one day at a time. One hour at a time. One minute at a time. It's making the choice to have Christ walk us through the valley's. As it says in Phillipians 4:6:

" 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

When we fill our days with prayer, especially the times that we're struggling the most, the love of Christ is able to calm our spirit and carry us through. Another request for the Lord is that He would hold our thoughts captive, that we may grow in Him and move past the struggles:

"5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ." - II Cor. 10:5

We were never guaranteed that life would be easy. As it proves in Ecclesiastes 3 - there will be times to rejoice, and times to mourn. There will be seasons in life. You will walk through the valley's, and triumph on the mountains of life. God has great plans to bless us, use us for His kingdom, and love us through the most difficult times in life. With him we can do anything - apart from Him we are nothing.

Take heart in knowing that even though it hurts right now, even though it seems that you will never get out of your trial, even though you feel stuck and that you're not growing - God is still working in you and working FOR the good of those that love Him. He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you - to give you HOPE and a FUTURE.

One day at a time....

One prayer at a time....

Means hope and a future.

Just remember that you are allowed to cry. You're allowed to hurt. You're allowed to not be "ok" for your time of struggle. You must go through the emotions, and build your reliance on Christ. And through it all - you will be blessed, protected, grown, and loved.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son" - so that we may be saved. That we may have life eternal. That we may be healed. That we may be blessed.


Even when it doesn't feel like He's there, God is walking with you every step of everything you are fighting against:

Footprints:

"One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

"Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, You leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."


HAPPY EASTER! He is risen - for you and for me. Because HE loves us more than anything.