Have you ever felt the grace begin to lift from a season of your life? Afraid of change, you grasp the season tighter hoping your clenched fists can squeeze just an ounce of sentiment back into your grip of control. But it slips away anyway and in that moment of desperate realization you hear that still small voice whisper “it’s time to move on.” You know it’s true, yet you still wonder if you are making the right choice and you question your motives and intentions. The tears begin to flow as your grip slowly loosens and you turn to stare into the eyes of your reflection. You suddenly realize that you don’t recognize the reflection who stares back. Eyes once filled with life now hollow from the burden of giving everything you have to *just* feel like you are enough, yet somehow you always fall short of the onlooking expectation. The grip then becomes a mere grasp of a single finger as you watch years of hard work slip through your fingers like a balloon leaving your grip and floating higher and higher into the horizon. As your finger gives way to your last sense of wanting to stay, you begin to let go of the pain and in return receive your reward. Aged and wise, you pull yourself up and remember who YOU ARE.
I believe we are each in our own season of transition and that in itself is never easy especially for the those who like to have plans and control their own destiny. We are each facing our own adversity, many of us have even asked the question, "God where are you?" He always responds with a gentle yet commanding voice, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." I ask the Body Of Christ what are you doing to usher in the presence of God in this unprecedented time in your life? Will you truly curl up and cry out or will you find the boldness that is in your innermost heart and rise up and cry out, "God heal our land and save this corrupt generation." I have personally felt grace lift for two different seasons of my life and in each case I was thrust into the unknown. I found myself in the wilderness and there was nothing pleasant about it at first. I squirmed and fought God. I took measures into my own hands and determined how I was going to control my surroundings. Each time I came up short and I would run back to the arms of the Father. His arms were open wide never once throwing my shortcomings in my face but instead He welcomed me back into His embrace and began to unfold my journey right before my eyes.
Recently God and I went on a nature walk. I talked and He listened. I poured my heart out to Him as I relived the last five years of my life. With each memory shared I began to see He was there through every moment. He hugged me in the hard times, challenged me in the ugly times, and cheered me in the pretty times. I cried, I laughed, and with each step through the mucky woods one thing became quite clear-He was always there, always faithful. I don't know where you are at in your journey but I do know that God is there. He is your champion and He is cheering you on. Don't give up, don't give in, the best is yet to come. We will look back over this short amount of time we were given to make a difference and ask ourselves, did we love? Did we care? Did we sacrifice our bodies and soul for the shaping of humanity? In my few short years of life I am already asking myself these questions. We are eternal beings and should be living from a mindset of eternity, not an earthly one. Let me remind you of the things Jesus taught us time and time again; the things of this world never satisfy, the fame will never be enough, the honor will never be felt, and the drive will never satisfy. Only in Christ as you die to self and live for Christ, truly in your heart of hearts, that alone will be enough and that alone will be felt.