Seasons

One Sunday morning at church the pastor stood before his congregation and picked out three individuals from the crowd. He called them forward to stand in a line beginning with the youngest and ending with the oldest.

The first was a child of six. She was a small girl with curly brown hair and beautiful dark eyes. She stood there twisting and wiggling from side to side excited that she was called up but still feeling shy and self conscious. The pastor got down on one knee to be on her level.

“Honey” he asked. “ Has anyone ever really hurt you and made you really really sad?”

The little girl’s eyes widened as she looked at the preacher. “Uh huh” she answered looking very serious. The pastor placed his arm around the girl’s shoulders and asked “Can you tell me what is the baddest thing that someone ever did to you and made you very sad?

She placed a finger on her chin and appeared to be in deep thought for a moment. Then looking at the pastor she blurted “There was this boy at school. He was really big.” To emphasize her statement she reached her arm as high in the air as she could. “He was really mean. He pushed me down on the steps when I was getting off the school bus.“

“Oh that was really bad” the preacher responded.

Encouraged by his sympathy the child went on “Yeah it hurt really bad. I hurt my knee.” With that she picked up one leg to show which knee had been injured.

“Boy that was really mean of him wasn’t it” the pastor comforted.

“Yeah” she answered. Then she dropped her chin a little and spoke softly “everyone laughed at me. The preacher gave her a little hug before he spoke again.

“But look at you now” he said. She looked up puzzled. “It’s all better.” He tapped what had been her injured knee. Her eyes suddenly sparkled again as a big smile came across her face.

“Yup” she chirped as she once again began to twist and wiggle from side to side. “And that boy got in trouble.” The congregation burst into laughter.

“As well he should have” the pastor responded. The congregation continued to chuckle as the child made her way back to her seat.

The pastor then moved to the next person. He was a man in his mid to late thirties with slight wisps of gray beginning to show in his hair. The pastor had specifically chosen this man because he was aware that he was going through a particularly difficult period.

“Mike” the pastor began “You heard me ask Honey if something really bad had ever happened to her. Can you tell me if anything really bad has ever happened to you?”

The man dropped his head shaking it slowly from side to side. “Pastor, I don’t know where to begin. It seems like just one thing after another. I lost my job. My house is going into foreclosure. My kids stay in trouble. I pray and pray for God to help me get through. But as soon as he answers one prayer something else happens. I am trying. I have to believe God is going to fix it all. But it is hard. I really try though.”

The pastor placed his hand upon Mikes shoulder. “Son, you hang in there. Keep on trying. Keep on praying. God is never far away”. With that statement the pastor dismissed him to return to his seat.

Now left alone, was a frail ninety year old woman sitting in a chair at the front of the room. The pastor approached her and pulled a chair alongside her. He reached out and took her small weathered hand in his.

The sweet looking little lady cocked her head to one side and looked at the pastor. “Preacher don’t you be asking me if anything bad has ever happened to me. You don’t have enough time here for me to tell you what I’ve been through.”

With that the congregation burst into laughter. This tiny little creature that looked so vulnerable had just taken command of the situation. The pastor was caught off guard as he laughed with the congregation.

“I bet you have Sister” he chuckled. “Can you just share a little of what you have been through.”

The little woman looked deeply into his eyes and spoke with a timeless confidence. “ I have lived. I have loved. I have lost everything and gained more. I have had feasts and known hunger. I know Pain intimately. He has walked with me throughout my life. But I have known unbounded joy. I learned hope and trust for they don’t come easy. I have had blessings beyond measure. I have salvation. Above all I have a God who has proven that there is nothing He cannot deliver me from. There is no hurt he will not heal. There is no need he cannot fill. He has proven to me that I have absolutely nothing to fear.”

The atmosphere of the room was filled with the unwavering certainty in her voice. The pastor gave her a careful hug thanking her and dismissed her to return to her seat. For several moments the room was quiet.

Seasons

There is an order to all things. I am often asked “why do bad things happen to Christians. Why can’t young Christians just quickly grasp the concept of faith? And if you have enough faith doesn’t God just fix everything?”

No matter what age you are or what stage of life you may be in the hardship or tragedy you are enduring seems like the worst you have ever been through. There is no life that is not touched at some time by tragedy and repeated hardship.

The trust of the child is unquestioning but it is also unproven and is without an intimate relationship with God.

The trust of the young adult is tenuous, strained, struggling, ebbing and flowing. Compare it to exercising muscles, stretching your limits, with muscle aches as you develop strength and ability.

The final result is the life proven by Christ and our God. Confidence in Gods abiding love and steadfastness can only be gained by circumstances in which he can prove himself. There are no short cuts to becoming spiritually mature. The child cannot become the seasoned Christian without the journey through young adulthood.

As you make the journey you will find that you look back on the scar from your pain and will see that you are alright. The scar itself will be a reminder that God heals, God strengthens, and God will get you past all pain.

I can tell you without a doubt if you live long enough you will have pain, hardship, illness and tragedy. But I can also tell you that there is NOTHING my God cannot bring you through. God is a loving God. He does not bring pain to you. But He will use every hardship and suffering as an opportunity to prove His love to you and strengthen your relationship with Him. Trust Him. Seek comfort,solace, and guidance in Him in all things.