Seasons of Life

Seasons of Life

I have been young, and now am old;

yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 

Psalm 37:25

When finally having time to take a breath and time to let my mind wander for a moment, my thoughts often reflect on favorite moments with my family or reflection on a time when God has been particularly close during a difficult time. You may think these contradict each other; one being a fond memory and the other remembering a not-so-perfect time of life. That is not always so. The pleasing moments in life are usually a result of having successfully passed through a difficult time or a moment of delight in the eye of the storm. Either way, it is our own reaction to the phase we are going through that can make the difference of savoring what the Lord has done and is doing in each day of our lives. 

      For instance, March 21 should be a heart-wrenching, sorrowful memory being the anniversary date of losing our twins midway through my pregnancy. When remembering that time, there is instantaneous joy recollecting the conversations with my coworker who had a recent miscarriage. Through those discussions, her faith turned from being an atheist to realizing God does indeed exist and watching her burgeoning faith in God.

            Also, enjoying our youth, college years, seeking the perfect companion for your lifetime -- even the romance and thrill of it all can instead be frustrating times of schedules and not enough time to get everything done or have the stress of financing it all. Yet in our later years, we look back on those times as “the good old days.”

            I can quickly recall seeing the delight on our two young children riding their toys on our driveway; my four-year-old son on his wheeled horse and my toddler daughter on her little trike. Who wouldn’t be joyful when your kids are happy and not demanding anything from you other than your watchfulness and playing with them? Yet, at that time, those early memories occurred during our least prosperous time of life. A recent surgery followed by ill health and loss of employment caused great stress, but amid it all, God provided paid bills, food on the table, and the joy of watching our children flourish.

            Back then, sometimes I wondered if perhaps later in life things would be different. The pride and thrill of watching your children graduate can de decimated if you can only focus on the fear of the future for them without them under your roof, or worse; the challenges of watching them make their own choices that affect their faith in God, their financial disposition for the years ahead, or experiencing hurtful relationships that need to be mended.

            My mind wanders to a time when we were financially stable, finally alone just the two of us and enjoying it immensely. At the same time, the demands of employment were pulling at both of us to manage our time wisely to have time together; and when we are, to not only focus on work or the relationships and stresses that were occurring there. At this stage of life, our kids may be gone, but their needs are no longer able to be healed with a simple Band-aid and kiss, so our reactions to all these things can easily cause us to be distracted and succumb to worry rather than remembering God is in control and we can enjoy the blessings and peace of His presence with us.

            Realizing I am now facing a new chapter of my life wondering what the future may hold, I am thankful as I reflect on memories of how my life has changed over the years. These periods of time when life can take a sharp turn can cause great concern that can exhaust you with care, but they can also bring excitement and a feeling of exhilaration. I call them my seasons of life.           

When these moments of reflection occur, there are two things that matter most to me. One; do I see that my faith in God was in action during those times of life? Can I see His handiwork and remember to give Him thanks for all He did during those challenging and delightful seasons? Two; can I remember those times of God’s faithfulness and then face the future and this very day knowing that God is still in control and will still be with me no matter what I am facing? Can I remember to see the good even in the trying circumstances, then react to let my Christian character show to whomever may cross my path or share this period of time with me?

            Reflections matter, but reactions are more relevant.

As our focus verse states, let’s remember to acknowledge and give thanks for God’s goodness in our lives whether we are young or old or in-between. God’s grace is sufficient for this day, and His presence will be with us whatever we are facing now. He promised to never leave us, nor forsake us. He is ready to show us the joy He has in store for this moment in time, this season of life.