Timing and Seasons
Timing and seasons are important to God as seen in the beautiful seasons of nature. As seasons come and go, they leave the earth changed as they bring the rain, cold, snow and warmth; leaving their signature as they continually change the contour of the land. We, like the earth, experience spring and summer seasons where life is full of hope, joy and anticipation of new things; as well as Fall and Winter, where things may begin to change or transition as we experience pain, loss, or hopelessness. Whatever season we are in, we also learn that they do not last forever as we learn to recognize and move with the ebb and flow of life. Jesus passed by the man who had been blind since birth. The disciples asked Him if this man’s blindness had been caused by his parent’s sin. The Lord answered not only had none of this man’s family sinned, but that God had allowed the blindness in this man, so that God could be glorified. God desires to use every season in our life to mature us and to bring glory to Him.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that “to everything there is a season.” There is an appointed time for every event under heaven. Now this is not to say that if we are in a difficult situation that we should choose or resolve ourselves to remain there. We are encouraged to always hope and look for God to bring life to us out of ashes. But how that may come, in what form it may come or what it may look like is what is often unsettling. When we are alone or afflicted, we often feel very isolated. How we respond to that isolation is part of our journey and part of our maturing in Christ.
By 1990, I found myself in a very difficult season of great physical and emotional pain. My first inclination was to fight. That is what I had been taught. But no matter how I tried to endure and resolve the pain, through medications, therapy, exercising, prayer, repentance or deliverance nothing seemed to give any relief. I became more anxious and fearful that I was never going to get any better. My mind began to tell me that I would be like this for the rest of my life. Panic and anxiety continued to rise up within me, “Oh God, where are you? Why have You allowed this? What am I doing wrong? Do You hate me? Why are You punishing me?”
Embrace the Pain
Of course there were no answers. Using His excellent teaching skills, the Lord was quiet, gently encouraging me toward the path of revelation. I continued day in and day out in pain and by 1998 I began to sense my fighting and striving was waning. I found it difficult to hold on to hope. Was I giving up? Shouldn’t I keep battling for this healing? Finally, in one short conversation, my dear younger brother encouraged me to “embrace the pain.” At first this was an affront to my intellect and resolve. “What? Embrace the pain?” I exclaimed. “Who in their right mind would ever do that?” As I took a deep breath and repeated that thought, a peace came over me. “Yes. Embrace the pain.” How simple. I had been battling something totally out of my control. I had tried performing for God, begging Him, coercing Him, trying everything in my mind to manipulate Him into healing me and removing the pain. My mind began to move out of fear into life. I began to breathe. I sensed my muscles beginning to relax. My anxiety lessened. I began to trust that He knew what He was doing and that He would reveal the truth in my distress. I began to rest. How strange it felt to choose to rest and begin to trust that God was aware of me, and my situation; and that He would in His way, use everything for His good.
In this scary season of pain, God again revealed a part of Himself to me. He was my Father who loved me and He was using this situation to teach me to depend on Him. He showed me that it was not necessary for me to perform for Him or cajole Him into doing my bidding; but that He was very capable of making choices for me and teaching me His ways. He began to teach me the sense of resting in His arms, even in the midst of trials, knowing that He was my provision, my health, my peace and supplier and that He was ever present with me.
During the next ten years God continued His work in me and revealed many unhealthy and unscriptural beliefs. He showed me my fear of sickness and death. I began to see that there were parts of my heart that were not yet sanctified and He in His loving and instructive way, was exposing in me those areas of unbelief and my lack of trust in Him. He also revealed my rebellion when I rejected and turned my heart away from His truths. I began to see that striving and relying on my own efforts for success needed to be given to Him for crucifixion. It had been exposed. My trust and my hope was really not in God, it was still in me.
Sin, which is nothing more than “missing the mark,” may make us susceptible to sickness, but being sick or being in fiery trials does not always mean that we are in sin. Let us all be cautious in making judgments, criticizing or pointing the finger at one another when only God knows how He is working in the hearts of all men. He may be correcting, but He may also be graciously teaching or instructing, sanctifying or purifying as He deals with each person. He allows situations of training to arise where He may reveal His character to us. It is certainly not our place to ever judge the work or timing of the Lord in any person’s life.
Seasons Perform a Special Work
Every child of God has seasons in their life in which God is doing a special work. Some seasons seem longer than others or more challenging than others. It is important to understand that whatever trial you may be going through right now, please know that it will pass. As you walk through your trial you will be given a greater revelation of your Father’s nature and character. He will reveal Himself to you as the Great Shepherd. He will teach you about His love and deliverance as well as His redemption. Look for Him. He will be very close to you and will change you. May we choose to encourage, support and pray for one another as we are transformed and matured by the ebb and flow of His Spirit.
During my personal trials and seasons, I have found it comforting to meditate on who God is by reading His names. Each day I would get up and say: “I choose to trust You to take care of me today, especially during stress and trials.” Knowing His names, which reveal His nature and character, have brought me great hope and comfort, as well as praying this prayer:
“Father, forgive me for my lack of understanding and knowledge of Your ways. Help me to trust to You and to understand Your nature and character, Your desires and Your plans. I want to know who You really are.”
Negative Beliefs:
I must do something good to get God to act on my behalf.
If I am not perfect for God, He will not be able to reward me.
I want to be in control because I can not trust God to look out for me.
God will punish me if I make a mistake.
Scriptural Truths:
God is merciful. His mercies are new every morning.
God will allow me to experience trials, which help me develop my trust in Him.
Rebellion is like witchcraft in God’s eyes. It can bring devastation to those who wield it or submit to it.
I am not controlled by my circumstances. I always have a choice in how I will respond and what I will choose to believe.
Facing my fears brings truth and allows me to choose freedom when I deal with fear.
Learning to give thanks in everything brings comfort and encouragement which gives life to my soul.
Scriptural Meditations: It is written…”
Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 9:9-10 “The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble, and those who know his name will put their trust in Him; For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”
Hebrews 12: 5-11 “Have you forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
I thank You God that in my life You are:
Jehovah-Adonai “God – My Master and Lord” (Malachi 3:6)
Jehovah-El-Shaddai “God – Who is more than enough” (1 Chronicles 29:11)
Jehovah – Jireh “God – My Provider” (Genesis 22:14)
Jehovah-MaKaddish “God – My Sanctifier” (Exodus 31:13)
Jehovah-Nissi “God – My Banner of love” (Exodus 17:15)
Jehovah –Rohi “God – My Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1)
Jehovah-Rapha “God – My Healer” (Exodus 15:26)
Jehovah-Shalom “God – My Peace” (Hebrews 13:20)
Jehovah-Shammah “God – Who is Present” (Ezekiel 48:35)
Jehovah-Tisidkenu “God – My Righteousness” (Psalm 97:2)
*Post is from Chapter 5 – “If I’m Healed By His Stripes, Then Why Do I Still Hurt?”
