Pearls of Great Value

One season Ruth was a servant girl working in a field, the next season she was married to to owner of the same field. One season Joseph was a slave and prisoner, the next season He was governor and second highest in command. One season David was a shepherd boy, the next season King of all Israel. One season Mary was just another girl in a small village, the next season she was mother to the Savior of the world.

God has really been speaking to me on seasons. I can’t turn around where I don’t see a reminder. Seasons change. Nature alone testifies to this and boldly declares it. So why wouldn’t we also believe that we too live in seasons? I believe we are never meant to stay in one season in life. Yes, it often feels like we’re stuck in an never ending cycle. But don’t let the mundane fool you into actually getting stuck. Seasons were meant to change!

From the very beginning of the Bible, we see how the seasons change in the lives of believers. I had to take note of how everyone goes through battle. Emphasis on GOES,(not stays!) Everyone from Adam to Jesus, and from Jesus to the end of Revelation, went through difficulties. Went through storms and fire and tribulation. No one was left out. Why would it be different for us? They all had seasons where they could have given up or given in, where they could have despaired, lost hope, thrown in the towel. Some did. Some let the seasons change them and got no reward. But others changed the seasons and were rewarded for their faithfulness.

This is not to discourage you, but to encourage you to read through the stories of the Bible with your focus on how to be an overcomer. Let’s look at it through a new lens. Seasons in life often don’t change on their own. They need faith and perseverance. They need a steadfastness that comes from being entwined with God. Look. What if we began to see those tough seasons, those wilderness seasons with a bit of a different perspective? What if they really are seasons of preparation? The launching pad into a higher level with the Lord? What if God is pulling us into those seasons, drawing us into His heart, to speak truth into us? The wilderness season is His way of saying, "I need you to come and spend a lot of time with me because I want to tell you secrets and prepare you for the next step in your life. I need you to come, sit down with Me and let me fill you with all you need for the next season.”

Don’t fall into despair because you feel like you’re going through tough times, but take advantage of the situation and draw closer to God and get excited! There’s a new thing coming, can’t you see it? See the message on the signpost of this wilderness that says God is waiting for you to come. He wants to walk with you through this season, holding your hand, and just soak you with knowledge to travel into the new. This is the joy of the wilderness season! Set your mind above the circumstances that you’re in and ask the Lord to show you clearly what this season means for you and for Him. Get into conversation! Yes, that means asking God questions. It’s allowed.

Our mindset of the tough seasons is essential in how we get through it. If we choose to let the devil use our minds as his playground, the outcome won’t be good. His aim is to steal, to kill, and to destroy. On the other hand, the mindset of Christ is to give you life and life in abundance. But the choice is ours. What will we dwell upon? Hopelessness? Fear? Doubt? Being anxious and worrisome? How many of us know that negativity works in our body and system similarly to cancer? It saps us of energy, it causes stress and sickness, it keeps us in a constant struggle. It destroys faith.

We aren’t designed to live like that. The Bible teaches us to set on our minds on things above and to guard our heart, for from it flows the issues of life. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Renewing it. This means the old negative mindset needs to be kicked to the curb and we bring in new furniture into our new home. Furniture that reflects the heavenly home. We need to start thinking on earth, as it is in heaven. So which mindset is in heaven? What are the things that heaven values? Faith. Hope. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Excellency. Whatever is lovely and of good report. Think on these things! These are the furniture you want to be filling your mind with!

Seasons come. Seasons go. Let’s not waste them. Let us grow in each one, be they good or be they times of difficulty. I believe that in each season God has gone before us and prepared the way and made provision for our every problem. Nothing happens that He didn’t foresee! Look at the wilderness seasons in the Bible. Didn’t God prepare Canaan-land for Israel? They came out of the wilderness and came to a land flowing with milk and honey. Or in other words, it was a good place, rich in every way. Were there obstacles? Yes. But even of these God promised “The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them.” And He did. Moses spent quite a few years in the wilderness prior to going to Egypt and saving his people from bondage. David was a shepherd boy also in the wilderness before he became king. John the Baptist started his ministry in the wilderness. Jesus’ ministry started right after he had spent 40 days in the wilderness. Say what you will, but the wilderness season has significance! It’s where God shapes us, builds our character, prepares us for His purpose, fills us with knowledge, draws us into closer relationship with Him. But you have to have this mindset in you: this is for my good and for His glory. I will set my mind on things above, I will choose to draw close to God instead of becoming angry and distant. I will not be shaken but instead I will rest in God alone, for He is my salvation. He alone is my rock and my stronghold. I will not be shaken!