Seasons

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

King James Version (KJV) Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

So often we relish the good times, grumble in the difficult times and are flattened by the devastating times, especially if they linger or are prolonged. We live in a time where we have the world at our fingertips and so often we chase the next happy. God forbid we tread water and not progress! We should get ahead! It’s the American dream! And we deserve it! Entitlement isn’t only for the millennials - our current generations also have a tendency to fall into it - the next car, the next house, the new toy. Our nation drips with amazing “golden eggs” that are “affordable” or almost affordable and we want them! 

In many cases, they absolutely do help us. They make our life easier and better - at least we think they do. We don’t have to grow our own food, butcher our own meat and urgent care is relatively close by. Life has become more and more convenient which has made living much easier for most of us as compared to when our parents, grandparents and even great grandparents grew up. 

There is both good and bad in that. The good is that society is evolving in many ways and with many positive outcomes attached. However, I believe largely that most modern day conveniences have robbed our current generations of deep character and true grit. We haven’t truly had to struggle on a macro level the way our past generations did. We didn’t live through the “Red Scare,” the Great Depression, or World Wars. Our ease of life has not demanded that we band together and rely on or trust others with survival outside of our own families. It pushes one to rise above themselves and "sweat it out" with others, carving out both united and individual backbone. Macro-struggle pulls people together - it creates cohesiveness. It creates determination and resolve, as well as blisters. And we know where blisters have been plentiful, calluses grow and toughen the tender area enabling it to withstand greater wear.

It’s in the trenches that we grow, gain perspective and learn new levels of gratitude. Who is concerned about growing when the “fields are alive” on the mountain top? Like Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music,” we are too busy twirling about the flowers and breathing in the fresh air to have any care in the world. But underneath that classic movie, based in the 1920’s, was the true struggle of the VonTrapp family escaping the Nazi regime. The globe was wrought with a long season of struggle and in so many cases it was devastating. Hardship was commonplace. Good times were illusive. Struggle cloaked societies and survival was the norm of everyday life. 

My point is rarely are difficult seasons pretty. They are generally ugly and messy and tend to last longer than we’d like. But they are necessary. God tells us in John 16:33 to expect trials and tribulations but to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world - not an easy pill to swallow when you’re in the thick of it. But He also says in Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

So my word to you today is don’t give up. Keep going. Whether you run, walk or crawl. Keep moving forward. Trust God’s word that you will reap a harvest for your effort. 

Don’t lose sight of the good God has planned for you while you walk through the valley because you will get to the other side <3