'Seasons Have Reasons'

     Having this 'blog' is "therapy," of sorts, for me, especially in this difficult "SEASON" of life in which I find myself .  It does my heart good to "share" experiences, lessons, etc., that I've learned, so far in my life!  I sincerely, hope and pray, that it encourages, ministers to, or in some other way-helps, AT LEAST ONE reader!  The subject matter that is on my heart today is, "seasons in life."  Just as nature has 'seasons' (Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall), so do we as humans experience seasons on our life's journey (ex. - child, young adult, adult, mature adult).  However, these are not the kind of "seasons" about which I'm writing, but instead, I'm writing about the types of "seasons" that individuals go through which are very personal, and, personalized!  These seasons vary in ALL ways, from person to person, and, season to season, because each individual has her own history, family, or, set of circumstances, situations, joys, hurts, etc., in which God uses to create every season. For example;  years ago, I went through a "happy" season that I'll entitle for this post, "Happy, Yet, Clueless, Days of Fun in the Sun."  The duration of a season is determined by God, and it's helpful for me to remind myself of this!  HIS perspective on 'TIME' is much different than mine (1,000 years to humans is as one day to God)!  HE is also, omniscient, sovereign, ETC.!  Therefore, HE knows exactly what I need, and what HE desires for me to learn from living through each season that HE sends, and/or, allows, me to experience!  I am also encouraged whenever I remember all of the seasons through which my 'GOOD LORD' has already brought me!  HE has assisted me so many times in the past, and, I am confident that HE'LL continue to do so!  HE'LL DO SO FOR YOU, TOO!!  Isn't it ironic that the "happy" seasons seem to end too quickly, and the tough ones seem to go on forever?!  God's ways definitely are not man's ways!  We need to be very careful how we treat people, with one reason being that, sometimes a person is dealing with a very difficult season, and she is extremely vulnerable!  We may think that we KNOW everything that there is to know about a person, but, we don't!  One thing that we may not understand is that she is in a season, and has become WEARY from it, or, could be dealing with the weariness of dealing with one too many seasons "seemingly," or there are all kinds of discouraging, matters, issues, or whatever the case, that could be overwhelming HER!  I was trying to think of what person's biography recorded in the Bible correlates with the message I'm trying my best to give in this post, and, Moses came to my mind.  His life seems to be divided into periods of time (40 years each), or possibly, "seasons." The first forty years of his life, while he lived in pharaoh's Egyptian mansion, and, as part of his family, it seems as though God is building confidence, security of his own being, and other things, in Moses. Then, the second forty years of his life, about which we read, he is hiding, after he killed the Egyptian worker who he saw abusing a Hebrew slave.  During that season of his life, there's no doubt, God was most likely working within Moses, teaching him leadership skills, and things such as, patience, and, humbling him, developing his character , and whatever else in which God knew that he was going to need in order to deal with the life HE had given him, and to prepare him for his next season, which was spent delivering his Hebrew people from Egypt, and leading them through a wilderness for forty years!  There is NO doubt, that GOD, in HIS sovereignty, had a plan for Moses, and his life, and HIS children, the Israelites, long before Moses was born, as HE does with each of us!  It is "like" each individual's life is a piece of "HIS pre planned puzzle of humanity," and, this puzzle illustrates the story, or, book, of whom God is the author.  So, these "seasons" through which we enjoy, endure, or whatever each case brings, are intentionally brought into our lives for very specific, important, etc. reasons, by God.  I don't know if we can shorten and/or lengthen these seasons, or not?!  No doubt, our being teachable, and not fighting what the season is teaching us, somehow helps us, and, pleases God.  It also must please HIM whenever HE knows that our desire is to learn everything in which HE is trying to teach us, and we just "GET" it!!  We all go through hills and valleys, and climb up, and stand on, mountains, and sojourn through many other experiences in life, and oftentimes, it is obvious to us, and those around us, that we are, BUT, "SEASONS" are different, in that, usually, only the individual IN the "SEASON" knows that she is in it!  There have been times when I have only realized that a period of time was a certain "season" as I'm pondering my life retrospectively!  There's a 'Christian' song out presently, and, one of the lines in it asks, "will this season ever end?," and, I completely relate to it!  Although it seems to me as though this present season of mine shall never end, I'm confident that God is with me, LOVES me, that HE is TRUSTWORTHY, and, HE IS ALL I NEED!  Just as Moses had no idea of the HUGE impact of his life when he was going through his "seasons," of life, neither do we!  Only GOD, the WISE author of the individual books of our lives, and, of HIS BIG book of the entirety of the human race, KNOWS, the "WHYS" of ALL of it!  I pray and hope that whatever type of season in which you presently find yourself, that this post encourages you to rest "IN HIM" (Jesus) (Matthew 11:30), with confidence in knowing that HE is working out HIS plan (HIS book, books, puzzle), and, HE loves you, unconditionally, HE can be trusted, it ALL shall make sense ONE DAY, although that may not be until you are in Heaven!  Whatever the season in which one finds oneself, as a 'Believer,' being a student of God's Word, being obedient to HIM as HE leads one by HIS WORD and Spirit, being a prayer warrior, consistently "walking in the spirit," and choosing to look for "the good" in all things, are helpful in surviving, and, spiritually PROFITABLE!  It is SO stink'n EASY to automatically SEE "the bad' in seasons, people, or, in anything!  I am TRYING to retrain my mind to look first for "the good" in people, circumstances, seasons, or whatever!  This 'season' shall last as long as GOD desires, therefore, I choose to continue to let HIM help me to ROLL with the changes, seasons, and in ALL of the times of my life, after all, LIFE is a precious, GOD-given, GIFT, and, a ginormous responsibility!