July 4th seems to announce the arrival of summer in a most emphatic way. Fireworks light the sky, barbecue smoke fills the air, beaches are packed (overflowing is more like it), and everyone is thrilled to be staring a brand new summer in the face. Summer feels like a time to take action!
I don’t mean to be a buzz-kill, but soon the excitement and thrill of summer will give way to the crisp yet reflective feeling that comes with fall. The holidays are upon us, a time to spend connecting with family and friends, perhaps a drunk uncle or two. As promised, winter will slowly appear, where snuggling up with a significant other is much more appealing than a night on the town. Things tend to go dormant, perhaps the period of reflection continues. Spring will soon follow, ushering in the excitement of rebirth, where things are made anew, and life is breathed into what once was inanimate. We awake from our slumber, ready to make headway in the world, and see what this year has to offer. Sure enough spring lends itself to summer again where the excitement is back. It’s a time to put all of those possibilities of spring into action. Seasons change….you may have a favorite….but neither one is any more important than the other, because they are all necessary.
What has come to my attention over the past week or so is the way that my relationship with the Lord seems to mirror seasons. I don’t mean to imply that my relationship with God changes as the seasons change, but rather that everything in life has a cycle, including relationships. Sometimes it seems like I will go through an entire seasonal cycle with God throughout the course of a day. Or maybe over the course of a few months, maybe as long as a few years. There are times where my relationship with God seems dormant, where I sit and reflect on previous seasons, wondering why I feel stagnant in my pursuit (winter). Soon enough our relationship is reborn, and the possibilities of this revitalized relationship seem endless (spring). Before long I am actively seeking to put these possibilities into practical application, excited about where these possibilities can take me (summer). Finally, I move into a different stage where the excitement of the application is still present, but somehow fading, and I move towards a more reflective state (fall).
I said all of that to say this….no matter what season you are in, whether it be summer or winter, fall or spring …. it’s okay. I used to (and still do) get upset when I’m in the fall/winter stage of my relationship with God. I want that fire to always be ablaze. However I’ve realized that without a time to reflect and ponder (dare I say question) my faith, I would never create room for growth. I believe that the time God places you in the dormant/reflective season is where He is pruning your heart, cutting away the clutter and preparing you for the next cycle of growth.
What season are you in? And what does that season feel like?
Oooooh I really like this! Great way to put this idea into perspective. I think I am in winter right now trying to get to spring and wanting to be in summer. Well put Scott!