As Ecclesiastes says there is a time for everything. I have recently gone through a busy time filled with many challenges, in which I had a difficulty balancing everything out. It seemed like I had to deal with one challenging situation after the other. Now God has taken me into a time of rest.
Looking back at this difficult season, I see how I have grown in the way I handled these different responsibilities, and I also see where I have room to grow. Having a time of rest is for the purpose of recovery, reflection, and restoration. It may seem like it is non-productive but it actually paves the way for greater grace.
If a land doesn't rest and is overly worked the soil will be no longer fertile. So also our bodies when there is a lack of rest fatigue sets in with sickness and disease following. God has placed in His word both time for rest to the land and our bodies. Neglect of His word has resulted in the consequences of both natural disasters and wide-spread disease. It is hard to slow down once the pace has been so fast but it is necessary in order not to fall down. We need time for healing. We cannot advance to new challenges if we are still hurting from former ones.
Each season has it's lessons to learn from to prepare for the lesson's to come. If a student does not take time to study they will not have the knowledge needed to answer the questions on their test. So also the believer who doesn't take time to reflect on their experiences will not have the wisdom needed to pass the tests to come. This shortens our growth and we are stuck in the same lesson, repeating the same tests over and over again.
We all need time in our life for reflection. The bible says to examine our hearts. Some people are just simply ignorant of their own wrong because they don't take time to examine themselves. They blindly put themselves in the same situation time and time again. The greatest minds in History who have invented great things have been those who spend much time on reflection. Wisdom is always available to those who take time to listen for it.
Certain things may be lost in one season from the other. There are certain negative things that are not to be picked up again, but their are certain positive things that are. In the busy season I have been in it has been hard to maintain some of the spiritual disciplines I have had in my past. Reading, writing, praying, etc. have been neglected, because of the responsibilities I faced.
In this new season God is wanting to restore those disciplines in my life. Through the challenges I faced in the previous season it can actually strengthen those disciplines. From what I have experienced there are now certain areas I want to have greater understanding in through reading, and with that greater understanding comes better writing. I also now have more compassion in prayer gained from dealing with difficulties.
The children of Israel had rest every seventh day, seventh year and fiftieth year for Jubilee. We must know God's timing. Each individual is at different stages in their walk with God, we must know His leading, there is a season and time for everything. He has called me to rest, by lessening the load of certain responsibilities, and removing other responsibilities that are no longer necessary. I simply must follow His leading and not try to hold on to that which He is removing, and not add onto my life things that He is not leading.
Challenge: Take time to rest to recover, reflect, and be restored. In doing so you will discover the time and season you are in.
Biblical Reference: Leviticus 25, Ecclesiastes 3, Hebrews 4, Romans 11:11, Psalm 119:15, 55, Psalm 71:21, Psalm 119:107
Looking back at this difficult season, I see how I have grown in the way I handled these different responsibilities, and I also see where I have room to grow. Having a time of rest is for the purpose of recovery, reflection, and restoration. It may seem like it is non-productive but it actually paves the way for greater grace.
If a land doesn't rest and is overly worked the soil will be no longer fertile. So also our bodies when there is a lack of rest fatigue sets in with sickness and disease following. God has placed in His word both time for rest to the land and our bodies. Neglect of His word has resulted in the consequences of both natural disasters and wide-spread disease. It is hard to slow down once the pace has been so fast but it is necessary in order not to fall down. We need time for healing. We cannot advance to new challenges if we are still hurting from former ones.
Each season has it's lessons to learn from to prepare for the lesson's to come. If a student does not take time to study they will not have the knowledge needed to answer the questions on their test. So also the believer who doesn't take time to reflect on their experiences will not have the wisdom needed to pass the tests to come. This shortens our growth and we are stuck in the same lesson, repeating the same tests over and over again.
We all need time in our life for reflection. The bible says to examine our hearts. Some people are just simply ignorant of their own wrong because they don't take time to examine themselves. They blindly put themselves in the same situation time and time again. The greatest minds in History who have invented great things have been those who spend much time on reflection. Wisdom is always available to those who take time to listen for it.
Certain things may be lost in one season from the other. There are certain negative things that are not to be picked up again, but their are certain positive things that are. In the busy season I have been in it has been hard to maintain some of the spiritual disciplines I have had in my past. Reading, writing, praying, etc. have been neglected, because of the responsibilities I faced.
In this new season God is wanting to restore those disciplines in my life. Through the challenges I faced in the previous season it can actually strengthen those disciplines. From what I have experienced there are now certain areas I want to have greater understanding in through reading, and with that greater understanding comes better writing. I also now have more compassion in prayer gained from dealing with difficulties.
The children of Israel had rest every seventh day, seventh year and fiftieth year for Jubilee. We must know God's timing. Each individual is at different stages in their walk with God, we must know His leading, there is a season and time for everything. He has called me to rest, by lessening the load of certain responsibilities, and removing other responsibilities that are no longer necessary. I simply must follow His leading and not try to hold on to that which He is removing, and not add onto my life things that He is not leading.
Challenge: Take time to rest to recover, reflect, and be restored. In doing so you will discover the time and season you are in.
Biblical Reference: Leviticus 25, Ecclesiastes 3, Hebrews 4, Romans 11:11, Psalm 119:15, 55, Psalm 71:21, Psalm 119:107
Compare yourselves to the scriptures! Examine yourselfs! I love this! Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteGreat that you enjoyed. Thanks for writing your comments. God Bless!
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