"When You’re Tired of the Season You’re In" By Rebecca Halton



Photo by Amelia Grace Photography

 

Matthew  11:28-30

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”



As I write this, it’s snowing outside my window, the first “real” snow of Winter.  It’s so beautiful and pure.  Like a newborn, the first snow is excitedly welcomed – especially after nine months of waiting.  Before the work and fatigue of parenting begins, there is this sweet time of sheer joy that the season has begun.

That’s what today was like, just joy.  Then again, I haven’t had to go out in it, yet.  I haven’t yet had a backache from shoveling.  The snow itself isn’t yet marred by dirty tire tracks (and dogs with full bladders), and it has not yet been three months of Winter, Winter, and more Winter.  Ask me in February how excited I get when it starts snowing – again.

This is how seasons usually begin: they’re new again, and so is our enthusiasm.  If you’re like me, you promise yourself less grumbling this year than the year before.  You promise to be grateful, even when you’re craving springtime. You promise to be thankful, even when you’re scraping ice off your windshield – for the 60^th time.

This is also how seasons begin in my life.  I usually embark excitedly on each new or renewed season.  I have every intention of less gripe and more gratitude.  I won’t become as weary (or lazy) as in seasons past.  I have every intention of not getting tired of persevering, planting seeds, and trusting God.

This reminds me of a 10K “Turkey Trot” I ran the week before Thanksgiving this year.  When the race began, I was pumped.  I was enthusiastic and energized.  In fact, I was listening to such a powerful piece of spoken word by Gungor that I actually started tearing up.  I felt ready, grateful, and motivated.

Three miles later, I wasn’t as excited.  I was starting to grow weary, and my lack of training was starting to show.  By mile five, I really began to feel the pain.  My muscles were fatigued, and certain bones had started to ache.  I was physically tired – and tired of the monotony of running.  I wanted to put my feet up, not one in front of the other.

Determination and willpower alone would now decide if I’d reap the victory of finishing the race and when.  Sometimes we don’t have that influence over timing.  Unlike that race, I can’t fast-forward Winter, no matter how much I will eventually want it to speed up to Spring.  In life, this is where discernment comes in.

Sometimes we’re in a season through which we’ll just have to persevere, until God says it’s time for a new season.  In other times, we could make an 11-day journey in 11 days (unlike the 40 years it took the Israelites).  Sometimes, it’s us; sometimes we’re the hold up.  We decide to stop or slow down at mile three.

Then we either never arrive, or we take twice as long to get there.  The season passes without us fully discovering it.  In some cases, that season will come around again, like Winter does, but sometimes, it is a missed opportunity.  This is why I pray for the fortitude you and I need to follow through.

 

It's also why I pray for us to have eyes that see both the beauty and the purpose in each season.  Sometimes the purpose doesn’t look pretty, but even muddy snow is still snow with a purpose. 

 
To learn more about Rebecca, co-founder of TeamRedeemed.org with Shelley Hendrix, visit www.rebeccahalton.com.

 Photo by Sarah Verno of Breakthrough Photo + Design

 

Click here to enjoy a video to Lincoln Brewster's "Today Is The Day"