Autumn has come on here in the south in full force, as evidenced by the leaves blanketing my lawn and the temperatures that have me running for my heating blanket. November brings with it thoughts of family and the holidays that will lead us in to winter. I am not a fan of winter. But it serves a purpose. For me winter serves to make me appreciate spring, summer, and fall.
Seasons. They come and they go. Some we enjoy more than others. I think our lives are like that. I have a friend who talked me off a virtual ledge once by telling me that I was living in a season, and that seasons pass. She was right, I realized, and I was able to climb down off my jumping bridge.
When winter comes to Alabama, I can sometimes forget that warmer temperatures are going to return to the region. Just when I think I cannot stand one more shiver, I’ll see a daffodil poking its determined head through the frost. And then I know. I know He’s going to do it again. God is going to bring us a new season.
I believe God is a god of seasons. It’s marked all through scripture. There would be seasons of famine followed by seasons of plenty. There were seasons when Israel was loyal to God and then there would be seasons when they wandered. So for them, there were seasons of blessing and seasons of separation.
Doesn’t that sound a bit familiar? This information should be a great comfort to us. For the weary, young mother of tiny children who refuse to sleep the night through… this is a season. For the parent of a teen in rebellion… this is a season. For the family suffering job loss and financial hardship… this is a season. Whatever you are currently suffering… this is a season.
Just as Earth’s seasons pass, bringing change to the current climate, the seasons of our lives pass. Each season has something to teach us about ourselves, and about God. He is teaching us something through it all. And without fail, the lesson is always the same.
“Trust Me.”
“Trust me for your rest.”
“Trust me with your children.”
“Trust me with your money.”
“Trust me with your relationships, career, hopes, dreams,…”
King David, the psalmist, knew about seasons… take a look at Psalm 30:
I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.
Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”
Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm;but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
Sometimes the seasons we face can hit us hard, and knock us down. We can begin to believe there is no way out, or worse, that we must find our own way out. We can feel abandoned and alone, disoriented and confused.
David certainly felt alone and conflicted at times, and he set a wonderful example for what to do during those tough seasons. Oh, David might have whined and moaned for a bit, but without fail, he always redirected himself to the Father.
Psalm 63
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.
Even during times when David felt far from God, he was able to recall God’s glory, and remember God’s faithfulness “through the watches of the night.” He knew God was his salvation even in the darkest part of life, and he held firmly to that truth.
There are many facing tough seasons right now. If you don’t happen to be in the middle of a tough time, get ready. It’s coming. Prepare now. Don’t wait until you are in the middle of a hard season of life to ready yourself.
Get close now. Press in to the Father today. Learn his character and his faithfulness while things are good. If you wait and don’t prepare, when those tough times come, you are tossed around on the waves of trouble instead of being firmly anchored to his truth.
Maybe you are in the middle of a tough season; rest assured that it will pass. It is the way of seasons. There is pain in the night, but joy does come in the morning. Another season is on its way. That’s a promise, and God always keeps his promises.
Cracked Pot Pieces 