As I sit here and think about all the blessings I’ve been shown in my now twenty-one years, I am truly in awe. In awe of the amazing support system I have in my family and friends. In awe of the love I’ve been shown. In awe of the life I’ve been given. In awe of the Lord who got me through every up and down along the way.
I am a self-proclaimed old soul, so even at a mere twenty-one I find it fitting that I share a piece of the wisdom I have found throughout my life in hopes of inspiring an “awe” moment for anyone reading…
Life is not simple. You may look at me and say that I know nothing about “hard times” and that my life has been all sunshine and unending happiness, and to an extent you would be right. My life has been full of blessings and things I will forever be thankful for, but that doesn’t mean every day has been easy.
Ecclesiastes 3 explains perfectly the life we all live on earth.
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.” v. 1-8
Life is a constant change. We are constantly moving from one point to the next, from one place to another. We have ups and downs, laughter and pain, good days and not so good days.
In my life, I’ve experienced all of these. I’ve had times of complete joy; times when I had not a worry in the world because my life was just good. I’ve had times of sadness, where the loss I was facing seemed too big to overcome. I’ve had times where life seemed to throw every punch it could, and times where not even a punch could hinder the joy I was experiencing.
But time doesn’t just stand still. We will not be in any one season forever. Good times come and go just like bad times. If you’re in a season of heartache, find comfort in knowing it will not last forever. If you’re in a season of laughter, remember to be present in each moment because you don’t know what tomorrow holds.
If you’re like me, change isn’t always the most welcome idea. Moving into a new season of life, full of uncertainties, and feeling like you’re walking blind is not a fun thing. But more than simply saying there is a time for everything, the Bible gives us an unwavering hope in the midst of any and every season of life.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
This verse reminds me that because God is sovereign, I have no need to worry. It’s okay that I don’t know what my next season will be or when it will arrive because the Lord’s perspective is much higher than my own. I’m also reminded to look for the beauty of the season I find myself in now, even if that doesn’t seem possible.
Whatever season you find yourself in, remember that “God has made everything beautiful for its own time.” There is beauty in every season because God has made it so. Though the beauty may be hard to find in moments of suffering, trust the Lord’s perspective and know that you will one day see it clearly. He knows the path you will walk because he laid it out for you. And more than that, he walks with you. In every season, in every step, God is there and He knows.
John 16:33 – Psalm 139 – 2 Corinthians 5:7 – Romans 12:12 – Psalm 37:23/24