“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven”-Ecclesiastes 3:1
Seasons in life are essentially different time periods within your life where you are facing significant changes or lack there of. They are called seasons of life because they come and go like the seasons and bring with them different lessons and blessings.
For the longest time I struggled with there being different seasons in life. (To be honest I still struggle with there being different seasons in life). I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that “it just want my time yet” or that “God hadn’t opened that door yet.” As you guys already know I am a self proclaimed over thinker and as a result, an over planner. But the saying “Man plans and God laughs” could not be more accurate. And although this is a lesson I have to constantly relearn in life, I’ve grown to have a better understanding that we go through different seasons and that each of these seasons hold lessons and blessings.
Different Seasons Of Life Highlighted In The Bible
In Ecclesiastes chapter 3, an unnamed preacher breaks down some of the different seasons that we face in life. Some are beautiful and bright, I call them our “winning seasons” or “seasons of blessings.” Others are dark and draining, our “losing seasons” or “seasons of lessons. Ecclesiastes says that there is “A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;” -Ecclesiastes 3:2. And “A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away;”-Ecclesiastes 3:6.
Although some of these seasons are more preferable and enjoyable, all of the seasons of life are necessary for taking us to where God would have us be.
Winning Seasons and Seasons of Blessings
These seasons are obviously the most ideal in life! They are the seasons where we get to reap the benefits of all of our hard work. During this time it’s easier to be grateful and positive about life. Obviously there are still bad days during our winning seasons but for the most part life is going according to plan. Your winning seasons hold memories of some of the most beautiful moments of your life.
One of my winning seasons is the year I got married. It was stressful planning my wedding and I remember it being hectic at work but I was so happy! Life seemed so good and I was so grateful for all of the events where I got to celebrate with my family and friends. Another winning season was when I first gave birth to my son. I had him in the Spring so my maternity leave was during a time with gorgeous weather and I got to enjoy a great time period of learning to be a parent with my husband.
Losing Seasons and Seasons of Lessons
These are the seasons that we all dread. Seasons where you feel that you can’t catch a break in any aspect of life. Bad days turn into bad weeks or months or even longer and you feel physically and mentally drained. These seasons undoubtedly change you and shape you in every way.
My hardest seasons have included losing a loved ones. Nothing changes you like experiencing the loss of a loved one. Grief is debilitating almost to the point of suffocation. But when you take the time to heal properly and lean into the Lord, the person that emerges on the other side of the grief will stun you with how amazingly strong and beautifully resilient they are.
What I’ve Learned In My Blessing and Lesson Seasons
It’s taken me a while but I’ve come to learn that every season of life has a purpose. Everything that you go through has a purpose even when you don’t understand that purpose right away. I believe that God is constantly moving in our lives and directing our steps so that we get to enjoyed a fulfilled life. And everyone’s seasons of life look differently and last for a different period of time depending on some of your decisions during that season and where God would have your final destination be.
Some Seasons Where I’ve Learned The Most
I’ve gone through a season of singleness like every woman. Mine lasted shorter than some seeing as though I met my husband at a young age. But in this season I learned a lot about myself personally. I learned what I would tolerate in a relationship and what I wouldn’t while I was dating. I realized my worth and what I bring to a healthy relationship based on previous unhealthy relationships. And although I dated my husband for five years before we got married (which as my Grandma says, you’re single until you’re married) we had many rough patches where we had to learn some effective communication skills to build a relationship that would endure. God was shaping us to one day be husband and wife.
I’ve been inducted into the mom gang for 2 years now and I’m about to add another little one to the mix. And motherhood comes with so many seasons it’ll make your head spin girl. The new mom season, the experienced mom season, the working mom season, the stay at home mom season, the mom of a toddler season (pray for me), the pregnant while raising your other child season (are you kidding me?) and so many more that I haven’t even gotten to yet.
Each of these seasons of motherhood has their own highs and lows. But in my season of motherhood I’m learning important things about myself and developing key skills that will help me flourish in life. At the top of the list is patience. It takes so much patience with yourself, your partner and your child to provide a child with a childhood that they don’t have to heal from. Learning to meet the needs of someone that can’t even speak yet is crazy and understanding that parenting is a learning curve for both you and your partner is so important in order to remain patient with each other.
Seasons of life change us but it doesn’t have to be for the worst. We have to learn to praise God no matter where we find ourselves in life and trust the process. Find people to lean on that are in the same season of life that you are so that you develop a good support system. And find people you can trust that have gone through the season of life that you’re in now who can provide you with advice. Most importantly don’t envy people who are in a season that you think you want to be in because you don’t know what their losing season looked like to get where they are now. Whether you are single, married, a mom, a student, a career woman, whatever; know that life is constantly changing and constantly changing and shaping you. We need to be receptive to the lessons and blessings that God has for us. ❤️
Winging It 