Seasons Of Life

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:...a time to hold on and a time to let go. 
Ecclesiastes 3:1,6

I just finished reading an article of a mother who was having difficulty transitioning from one season in her life to another.  The seasons were from raising children to being free from the responsibility of caring for them.  For some this comes earlier (like myself) than for others.  Five of my children still live with their mom and I have very, very limited access to them, not at all by my choice.  But this isn't about me so to get back to the mother in the story.  She found herself looking at old pictures in photo albums and crying and being unable to get motivated to do things in her day.

Get Help

She was wise enough to realize that something was wrong and she went to see a counsellor.  That person was able to help her see that she hadn't changed through the years of motherhood.  She still had her talents, gifts and dreams.

The counsellor helped her to see that she had a choice:

1. she could look back at the life she had lived raising the children 
2. get God's perspective and see that He still has a purpose for her

I think of Israel when they had been freed from Egypt and were across the Red Sea, it didn't take them long to start wishing for the "good old days".  They had lost their perspective and had no vision for the future, they were pining for the days of slavery if that is even possible.  Ask yourself, do I really want to go back to those sleepless nights, dirty diapers...get the picture.  Or can you envision a future?

God's Plan

His plan does not include us living our lives every day looking in the rear view mirror.   When every day all we long for is to live in the past and have no goals or ambition for the future, wishing for yesterday.  We need to set realistic goals for ourselves.  Do those things that we have always been dreaming of doing before we started on the 'family plan'.  Get God's perspective and live with purpose now for Him, for yourself, for the future.

Lord Jesus please help me to dream again.  Help me to stop thinking about myself but rather how I can get involved in other peoples lives and share my gifts and talents. For your glory and my own health, amen.