CHANGE OF SEASONS
As the mornings give way to the
coolness of Autumn, and the gold & orange leaves begin to cover the ground
– it puts me in mind of the natural “Seasons” of life, and the spiritual
seasons we all experience along the way.
Just about the time we get
settled into our own little ‘comfort zone’ and feel we have found where we
‘belong’ – change comes to disrupt us, and disturb the complacency we’ve
settled into.
Think about it! If you think that where you are today is ‘all
there is’ – and that God has nothing more in store for you - it would be
easy to set down on the sidelines, and let the ‘game of life’ pass you by.
I was witness to my Dad doing
just that. He was a strong, healthy, busy man up to age seventy-six years of
age. When it seemed to him that his
ministry and purpose was over, he set down and waited for death. He died within the year. Looking back at his
‘Season” – I still wish he had realized how many around him needed the wisdom
and understanding he could have taught.
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision my
people perish.”
The word “perish” here means to
‘throw-off restraint’. When you run a race you have the goal set before you –
if you are a dedicated athlete, you train for months before you run your first
race. In every race, you put every
ounce of strength you have into it – until you reach the finish line. Across the finish line, some runners
collapse, and may even need assistance to get off the track; Others may dance
around with joy; some even take one last “victory lap” to show they truly are a
champion. The vision has ended,
it is complete – and they have thrown off all restraint and discipline. For a moment, they take lose their focus.
Our spiritual walk is like that
proverbial “Race.” (In 1
Corinthians 9:24 Paul said: “run the race to WIN!”) When we become complacent about the things
of God, the things He designed us to do… we have just stepped out of the race.
Oh, we can continue to mosey
down the same track, and perhaps even accomplish something along the way;
however, if we allow the distractions of life to steal our vision it will also
rob us of our joy and victory. Hab
2;2-3 says that we need to
“Write the Vision” and “keep it before us” – so that
everyone who sees it will know where they are going. If you have no “goal” or ‘finish line’ – there will be ‘no
restraint’ – and there will be no ‘win’.
Keeping the vision alive - and in front of you lends itself to the
self-discipline and the character of a champion. It also keeps us ‘on course’.
Perhaps you are in a season
where it appears that the vision, and the purpose that God planted inside you
is “impossible” - or “it’s too late” – or that “God’s plan for you must have
come to an end.” NOT!!!!!!!
Seasons come, and seasons go –
But God’s purpose continues!
Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a mans mind, but it the
Lord’s purpose for him that prevails”
My Great Nephew Miles Scott
just started the first grade. He’s not
real excited about it! He is in a new school with new kids, new teacher, and
it’s quite different than his year in kindergarten. So… should his parents allow him to stay at home, or perhaps just
let him stay with his kindergarten teacher a few years, until he’s comfortable
with the idea of moving on? Well, of
course not! They want their son to grow and flourish, and to become all that he
can be… all that God designed him to be.
The Seasons of our life can be
thought of in this same way. “School”
is never out, from the time we take your first breath, until the time that
breath leaves our body for the last time – we are in school. If we ‘cut class’ we will take that class
over; if we decide we don’t like the subject, and transfer to something easier
- we will have to come back to the moment we allowed rebellion to lay that
subject down, and start over again.
There are usually a few “full-circle” classes in our lives.
Twelve year old niece Marissa
may be quite content with the fifth grade this year, and could decide she just
does not want to move on to middle school next year. She may decide that this will be her last year of school! (I
am sure that I made this decision, when
I was in the first grade!). Of
course, Marissa’s parents, and the law of the land will not allow her to do
that, but if it did… what would that mean?
Ø She would never achieve the
potential that God has planted in her.
Ø She would stop growing mentally
& emotionally; When she is an adult, she would be considered socially
& mentally retarded.
Ø What could she achieve?
Ø Where would she succeed?
Ø And the list could go on, and
on.
The same is true with the
“Seasons” of our life. You may not like
where you find yourself right now – you may be outside your comfort zone; you
may even feel like you’ve been ‘benched.’
Seasons come and seasons go – and that’s the way it’s going to be!
God loves His children with a
greater love than we can understand; when He determines that it’s time for us
to ‘move up’ (to grow a bit) - He will not allow us to remain in the
comfort-zone of kindergarten.
Did ya’ll
happen to see the movie “Nell” with Jodie Foster? I understand it is taken from a true story. A perfectly healthy girl – who had never
been far from home, had no education, no people to learn from. She could not speak, and appeared to be
severely retarded; it was only because she had not been taught, and had not
grown mentally or emotionally. It’s sad, but that can happen to our spiritual
life as well.
When you find yourself in a new
“Class” or “Season” – embrace it! Run with it! And run to win! Be ALL that your creator designed you to
be.
Shalom! Shine on for Jesus!
