It Won't Last Forever

I write about seasons a lot. Probably because we all go through many different seasons, some are full of immense joy, some are full of a lack of understanding, suffering, happiness, great things happening one after another, testing of our faith, good relationships, bad relationships, humility, being intensely built up, great encouragement, loneliness, intimacy, lack of intimacy...the list can go on. But what I have come to learn, and have become extremely grateful for, is that seaons are seasons. Meaning that they don't last forever. A new season will always be coming. And the season you are in, will always come to a close. 

I have also learned, and have been greatly encouraged (especially recently) in, that the promises of God never leave us in those seasons, no matter what season it is. His promise to provide, to love, to be WITH me, will last forever, in every season. So even though seasons come and go, my God never does. His presence, is will me always. And that is why we can endure any season of life, the good and the bad, and the "i don't even know." 

This week has been a week full of mixed emotions. There has been immense sadness, for the loss of a friend, there has been great encouragement from friends older and younger, full of wisdom and joy in Christ and in that, I feel rejuvenated. I feel a stirring in my heart that has been missing. I feel a readiness for whatever the LORD has next. I feel excitement and determination. I feel heart ache, and brokenness. I feel. I feel the good, and the bad. But I feel. and to feel is a blessing. And whatever we feel...won't last forever. And in the midst of my feelings, Jesus is there. His presence...I am so so so so grateful for. Ashamed that I so often forsake it, when He never forsakes me. Grateful for His grace, because I am so wretched.

And whatever I don't feel, that won't last forever either. 

Seasons. are a beautiful journey that Christ takes us on in order to make us more and more like Him. Loving like Him, being gracious and forgiving like Him, suffering like Him, rejoicing like Him, sacrificing like Him...and all of that we can do IN Him. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is the only thing in our lives that will last forever.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 

      a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up 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 together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

      a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast 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 for war, and a time for peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8