Seasons

 Life is full of seasons, just like this corner of the earth. Fall is coming and pumpkin spice has exploded everywhere! I am excited about it, but not quite ready for it! It’s kinda same about this season of life. I’m realizing that sometimes those seasons are hard, sometimes those seasons are filled with joy and hope, sometimes seasons are marked by pain, and the hope seems to be hiding behind something else entirely out of reach.

I am discovering that the seasons of this life are not about me. It's not about what I'm doing, who I am...its all about HIM! When I am going through a hard time, its about God and me. When I'm going through a great bountiful season its still about God and me. It's not a woe is me. It's not a why is this happening to me..or I must have done something to earn this. Its more like: What is God trying to teach me. Is this supposed to draw me closer to Him? Am I fulfilled by His love or by what I think my accomplishments are? 

I have found myself in seasons saying wow...this must be a token of God's faithfulness to me for being faithful...this is the fruit. This is my blessing...this is what I earned, or this is what I worked for...but I'm learning more and more God seems to always take away the things that hinder my relationship with him, or the things I put a piece of my identity in. 

There are things in my life where God is using them to change me, to shape me, and to draw me closer to him. I pray all the time to be more like Jesus, I ask God to show me how to love others like he loves me, I ask him all the time to draw me closer to him...so why am i surprised when he puts me through the fire?

Gold isn't real and refined gold without the fire, it’s the same with faith. If I ask for more faith, to be more refined I shouldn’t be surprised when God brings me through the fire and to be honest in a season of what feels like the bottom of the fire pit, that makes it all worth it to me. I know I will come out on the other side of this stronger and more like Jesus and thats exactly what I asked for.