The Reason for the Season

Right now, our little corner of the world is experiencing temps in the low 90s and humidity levels ranging from unbearable to ridiculous. 'Tis the season. This one is particularly difficult for those with breathing issues or those working out in the heat for any length of time. Some seasons are easier than others, of course, but it's merely weather. You do what you can do to beat the heat, stay hydrated, and look forward to autumn. And you hope you don't have seasonal allergies, 'cause in the fall, they can throw you for a loop. 

Our lives are no different, really. We go through seasons. We just went through one where we had resources to share. So we did. Now, we're in a season where we're wondering where the basics are gonna come from. Of course, we know God will provide just what we need when we need it, but as it is with nature, some seasons are easier than others. For instance, the past season was pretty convenient, bless others with our extras: write the check, take the time, offer the expertise. This season restricts those types of blessings but opens the door to others: pray without ceasing, send the card, make the call. I'm going to be completely honest here, I liked last season better.

I am busy. I don't mean that my schedule is full every single day, or that I am of such great import that my phone is ringing off the hook. What I mean is, if I have two errands to run in an hour, I will try to run three -- maybe four. I over-schedule and seek to overachieve. The idea of staying active, of do-ing something, appeals to me. The discipline of sitting quietly before the Lord until He says I can go, or chatting on the phone with someone who can definitely use a pick-me-up? Not so much. But there's a reason for times like this, just as there's a reason for each season in nature. Growth and fruit-bearing and harvest and rest need to take place in a human life as much as in a garden. So, I ask the Holy Spirit to show me purpose in each season and to help me make the most of it to the glory of God.

What season does God have you in? Ask God to show you how to use it purposefully for Him.

"To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what 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;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
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."

~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8