The Seasons of Life
Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV tells us "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Lately I've been thinking about the passage of our lives and the people and the places we experience as we go along. I don't know if these thoughts just naturally come with age or if they are a product of the illness that nearly took my life two years ago. Perhaps they are simply an outgrowth of seeing my parents pass and watching myself and my siblings approach the "edge of the table" as my brother puts it. But it's okay. The ability to stop and reflect on things is one of the attributes that separate us from animals.
I observe that when we are in the midst of any given difficulty it (the problem) becomes paramount, large beyond all remedy for that point in time. Then when we are separated from it by a little time and space, it dims and no longer seems very important. Things that break our hearts in youth become memories that we stop and consider with a smile.
They tell us that we are the sum of all our experiences and I suppose this is true, we are shaped by our joys and our pain. By people and events, by those we love, and those who break our hearts.
I believe everyone is lonely, no matter how crowded and hectic your life is. We are trapped alone in this clay vessel which can only really be penetrated by the Spirit of God. Everyone is afraid, even though we shouldn't be and many of us refuse to admit it. But God is not the author of our fear, and it is only by his grace that we can keep fear at bay.
Life has it's season's, there is childhood, youth, maturity and old age of course, but it's more complicated than that. A season is where you are at any period of time, what you are doing, who you are with and what you are going through. You may work a job for a season, or a season may pass while you are in school or while you raise your kids. You may go through a difficult season in your marriage or preform a certain ministry for a certain length of time. I have spent a long season in physical therapy.
Life is made up of many seasons, some difficult beyond hope, some sweet as honey in your mouth. But the thing to remember weather the season is good or bad is that "this too shall pass." It is important to have a broader mindset than this present moment. It is so sad to see young people who end their lives in a dark season when if they had just held on for a little while they would have found a better time. Marriages are ended to soon when if they had just stuck it out a little longer they could have been out of the rough patch.
Lately I've been thinking about the passage of our lives and the people and the places we experience as we go along. I don't know if these thoughts just naturally come with age or if they are a product of the illness that nearly took my life two years ago. Perhaps they are simply an outgrowth of seeing my parents pass and watching myself and my siblings approach the "edge of the table" as my brother puts it. But it's okay. The ability to stop and reflect on things is one of the attributes that separate us from animals.
I observe that when we are in the midst of any given difficulty it (the problem) becomes paramount, large beyond all remedy for that point in time. Then when we are separated from it by a little time and space, it dims and no longer seems very important. Things that break our hearts in youth become memories that we stop and consider with a smile.
They tell us that we are the sum of all our experiences and I suppose this is true, we are shaped by our joys and our pain. By people and events, by those we love, and those who break our hearts.
I believe everyone is lonely, no matter how crowded and hectic your life is. We are trapped alone in this clay vessel which can only really be penetrated by the Spirit of God. Everyone is afraid, even though we shouldn't be and many of us refuse to admit it. But God is not the author of our fear, and it is only by his grace that we can keep fear at bay.
Life has it's season's, there is childhood, youth, maturity and old age of course, but it's more complicated than that. A season is where you are at any period of time, what you are doing, who you are with and what you are going through. You may work a job for a season, or a season may pass while you are in school or while you raise your kids. You may go through a difficult season in your marriage or preform a certain ministry for a certain length of time. I have spent a long season in physical therapy.
Life is made up of many seasons, some difficult beyond hope, some sweet as honey in your mouth. But the thing to remember weather the season is good or bad is that "this too shall pass." It is important to have a broader mindset than this present moment. It is so sad to see young people who end their lives in a dark season when if they had just held on for a little while they would have found a better time. Marriages are ended to soon when if they had just stuck it out a little longer they could have been out of the rough patch.
Still at other times we are too busy to stop and appreciate the sweetness of our times with our friends and loved ones. Time passes so quickly and you never can tell what a single day may bring. We wolf down our lunch instead of lingering over the taste of rich gumbo, or spicy beans and rice. I was fed through a tube in my stomach for almost six months and I will never look at food the same way again. They say we should "stop and smell the roses" this is true. Especially since roses only bloom for a season.
I blinked and my babies were grown, so I have tried to savor the precious moments that I have with my Grandchildren. Life passes , people get old and children grow up. It's just the way things are. We work through our problems and move on.
But life consists of more than we see right now with our natural eyes. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:19 that " If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. "
We are "Pressing toward the mark." Philippians 3:14. We are looking for a city where we never will grow old or be separated from those we love again. It's important as we go along to realize that this is a temporary state, we need to enjoy the moment and hold those we love near. But when the bad times come, and they will, we can know that this is just a season and like the winter, it will pass as we move toward the eternal springtime that we will know in God. Christ be with you my dear friends.--Jirehsgirl
I blinked and my babies were grown, so I have tried to savor the precious moments that I have with my Grandchildren. Life passes , people get old and children grow up. It's just the way things are. We work through our problems and move on.
But life consists of more than we see right now with our natural eyes. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:19 that " If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. "
We are "Pressing toward the mark." Philippians 3:14. We are looking for a city where we never will grow old or be separated from those we love again. It's important as we go along to realize that this is a temporary state, we need to enjoy the moment and hold those we love near. But when the bad times come, and they will, we can know that this is just a season and like the winter, it will pass as we move toward the eternal springtime that we will know in God. Christ be with you my dear friends.--Jirehsgirl