Frozen In Time?
Seasons in Life
Seasons are interesting. There are parts of the world where the residents experience all four seasons. Spring is a bit cooler and vibrantly brings forth fresh bloom to brighten and encourage you to get up, and get going. Summer is as hot as blazes and sometimes makes you wish you lived someplace else. Fall brings the amazing golden and copper colors of leaves bristling through the trees. Winter brings the stillness of whiter than white snow that makes your heart stop from the mere beauty.
Now, in the nation of Texas – yes – we talk like that here in the lone star state – we sometimes experience just one season – hotter than hot. Our winter day freezing temperature may reach a bitter fifty degrees. That’s okay as we would prefer to have a hot day here over a cool day in Maine any day of the year. We live here on purpose and take it with no complaints. That being said, you can have hot on the outside while your insides are frozen and immovable.
Frozen in time. Sounds like a romantic movie or a science fiction flick. However, I am referring to a season in life….which can last a day, a month, a year or a decade. What do you do when you start over a thousand times and still just cannot make progress? Being stuck in a parking lot in your mind becomes so real that it becomes reality in your body. Frozen in time.
Mirage or Time of Testing?
Or is it a mirage? You see what you want and its right there in front of you and you do what you think is your part to obtain it or move toward it and when you arrive – you find you are out of season and it was never there in the first place. Mirage. Or is it a time of testing? You know what I mean….God does not tempt us to walk with darkness or entice us to sin – really – we do that without His help or the help of evil. However, there is a season of time when our lives are examined by God in such a way that we undergo a testing prior to approval…so that we will be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Let’s explore a time of testing shall we?
In a time of testing I have discovered that my boat rocks to and fro in the wind of doubt until I clear my thoughts and locate a fresh spot to anchor my understanding. I find it difficult to receive in a double minded season because my ways are not stable. Does this mean I lack joy? Believe it or not my joy is settled. However, my purpose is being sifted in a time of testing. Normally, I’m not vacillating between two opinions – my opinions are deeply grounded in His opinion. That being said, as we stabilize our hearts in purpose, position and calling, we will find an opportunity to persevere under trial AND we will discover fresh Love from Him. We will be tempted by the enemy to throw in the towel because of mistakes, misunderstanding and fear. Even so, we must steer away from being offended and if we discover we have offended another, we must do our part to rectify that relationship or situation. We must sever from us all unforgiveness, miscommunication or self inflicted feelings of guilt that linger to rule every fiber of our being. Let’s take on the challenge of humility and determine to keep our heart free from debris as we find our footing and as we stabilize our emotions in His priorities. Interestingly, you may not find His priorities are the same as the priorities of those around you and you may find you have disappointed or angered those who believe in you, stand for you or have paid a price to walk with you. Regardless….there is a deep truth that will be found – if someone is truly for you – they will be for you even if you are unavailable for them. This is where an even deeper sifting takes place. You see, friendship or relationship which is centered on Him is not seasonal – is not selfish and is not manipulative.
I just want to encourage you today that if you are frozen in time and or experiencing an aloneness because of your own disappointment with your progress, you will be okay. Your aloneness might be a mirage or it might be a time of testing. Whatever it is and wherever you are you will find one staple – one stability that will never change: God will not leave you or forsake you even if you are left alone on the ice.
Out of Season
One last idea that comes to mind – there are times in living when you are simply out of season with everyone else and you feel either left out or like you are a disappointment to those around you whom you respect or love because you are not there for them. What do you do? You must obey The Lord. You know why we go around the mountain again and yet again? This is simply one perspective – but I feel it could very well be because we never quite finish a season of obedience….we never quite pass that finish line in that area of testing in our life because we go to the next season too quickly. It might appear that the ones around you passed and they are ready to rock and roll and then again it could be they are running from their side of the mountain. You, on the other hand, are on the peripheral and are keenly aware of your own private reality and are at a decision making place.
I’m at a strange spot in life where the Lord may very well allow me to miss out on a very significant “season” in history so that I will move into the better portion of Him. Yet am I afraid to miss this “corporate season” or should I focus on not missing The Lord in the season He is calling me into privately? It could be a year or it could be a week – but I’ll never know if I don’t go. A place to ponder I’d say – wouldn’t you?
BE BRAVE
So, my friend, whatever season in life you are right now I want to encourage you to be #BRAVETOBRAVER – B.R.A.V.E. BE BOLD enough to be kind to those around you even if you aren’t sure how to go about it. Trust me – a letter of encouragement or a prayer or a hug – these simple actions of kindness are powerful. Show RESPECT for yourself and that one around you – because you just never know what season he or she has passed into or just come through. Take ACTION no matter what season you are in to fulfill the heart of God. Scripture encourages us to weep with those who weep (even if you are not weepy) and to rejoice with those who rejoice (even if you are just not in the mood). Why? Because God is the Vindicator of our trust and HE wants us to live out life with those around us in such a way that they see Him and we see Him and we all are one in Him in the family of God. While attempting to find your footing – grab hold of His VICTORY over your past (even if this is one more trip around the mountain). Finally, try to get into your noggin that God is not in a bad mood….love while it is still called today. In other words – ENCOURAGE yourself and those around you with the acknowledgment of HIS love inside you that lives even when you can’t feel it or touch it. So, love and be loved – because this season will not last forever even if for the moment – you feel – frozen in time.
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