For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
Philemon 1:15-16
Good Morning Beautiful,
One of my favorite seasons of the year is fall. I love how the leaves change and how the temperature is perfect! You know, not too hot nor too cold. It’s the start of the sweater and boot season, and I am ready to break out in my fall and winter gear!!!
I wait patiently for the fall with full anticipation every year because I know the joys of what that season will bring. However, I dread it when the times change and we start to creep back into the spring/summer months. I have to remind myself that fall is just for a season, but it’s a season I can expect every year.
Like spring, summer, fall, and winter, they are all seasons that we expect every year; All of them with their unique character and activities fitting for each. Just like the seasons we know so well here on this earth, God knows the seasons that we endure in this lifetime. With patience and expectations, God has His plan for our lives that He perfectly crafts for our development.
Spiritual Seasons
The thing about God’s seasons is that we don’t expect them when they happen. We can’t anticipate what joys or sufferings they may bring, but one thing is for sure, we will not come out the same. God isn’t as concerned about the moments we enjoy, but what we will develop in our character. At times, this is a hard realization because the change can be challenging, and it feels as though you are in this season for a long time.
God doesn’t intend for us to be in our seasons for long. He makes sure that whatever He is building inside of you has the opportunity to take root and grow. Just like the Israelites who wandered for 40 years, God knew what they needed to walk into their promise–secured and ready to keep what God had in store for them.
We have to understand that we can’t be so quick to get out of our seasons. If we arrive too early, we risk the chance of not being prepared for what promise stands at the end of our journey. We also can not continue to ignore the change that God is attempting to do in our lives. Don’t risk the chance of causing your own delays.
God is a God that is perfect in His timings, and He knows what we need. We have to be more trusting of the journey that He is bringing us through. One of my favorite verses, while in my season of singleness, is “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Guard your thoughts because the enemy is lurking. What has helped me is naming this season that I am in. You, too, have a name for your season, so don’t be afraid to call it what it is.
Lessons for your Journey
God knows this season of your life in and out, and you have to start trusting His guidance and not lean to what you believe is right. The enemy often brings on the struggle that we experience because He doesn’t want to see God glorified. The enemy knows what stands for us at the end of the journey, and he will do everything in his power to make sure that we don’t receive what is ours.
Recognize that our seasons aren’t about possession of things on this earth but our hearts. The enemy doesn’t care if you receive your promise, but if he knows that he can ruin what God meant to be for good, he will use every tactic to make sure that you don’t come out on the winning side.
I encourage you this morning to be patient in your season because it is just for a season! God knows the beginning and the end, and He will finish what He has started in you because the God we serve is about building our character to be fit for His kingdom; that we don’t come out the same and our lives are transitioned for something greater!
God is building a testimony in you that is so great that it will help produce other great stories in those around you! Don’t give up because the journey seems too long. God is an on-time God, and He is never short of His promises to you!
Reflect
- Naming your season: You may not have known what to expect when first starting in your season, but now that you are well aware of what God is attempting to do in your life, don’t let fear cause you to ignore what your season means. Name it, so you know how to proceed.
