We need all the seasons
If you have spent any time around me, it won’t take you long to figure out how much I absolutely hate the heat. I’m serious. I hate it. I was born and raised in the desert southwest so you would think that nearly 38 years later that I would have acclimated and gotten used to the ridiculous temperatures that our summers bring….and you would be wrong! I actually have some friends who LOVE the summer heat and I still can’t figure out why I still talk to them.
Only a few parts of the world experience the classic four seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter. Many parts of the world only get two or even one (there are times that I would argue that where I live only has extreme heat or extreme cold). My personal favorite season is fall. I absolutely love fall weather! Yet, as I have been increasingly annoyed with the triple digit weather we have been having, I started to ask myself a very simply question: why do we have seasons?
My research informed me that we have seasons because the earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. Everyday, the earth spins on its axis. As the Earth makes its annual trip around the sun, different areas of the planet face the sun more directly during their daylight hours at different times of the year. The varying amounts of sunlight around the Earth during the year creates the seasons. We have hot summers and cold winters because of the tilt of the axis. Which then led me to ponder: what if then there were no seasons?
Vegetation would suffer. Living conditions would vary greatly. Life as we know it would drastically change. So, the fact that the Earth is tilted and revolves around the sun brings both summer and winter, heat and cold, day and night, and seedtime and harvest. Which makes me think that as much as we don’t want “winter” seasons in our life, we need them. Winter is often used to describe cold, less sunlight, more time indoors to protect ourselves from the harsh elements. However, we all know that we don’t always have winning seasons in our life. We’ve all gone through times where we don’t feel like the sun is shining on us in any way, shape, or form. However, with time, the sun will shine again!
I wish it was fall year-round so that I could wear fall clothing all the time. However, that clothing is only proper and appropriate in that season. If I’m walking around in a light jacket, scarf, and long sleeves during the dog days of summer I am going to be miserable. It’s not the season for it. This truth also lets us know that seasons in life are going to come and rather than doing what I do in the summer (whine!) is not to ask why am I going through this but rather what do I need to learn from this and through this?
One season inevitably leads to another but thinking that we will always be in the same season with the same people is a sure fire way to be disappointed. Sometimes you cannot appreciate the mountaintop until you have walked through the valley. Rock bottom has built more heroes that privilege.
We have to go through the process to receive the promise. We can’t get over it until we go through it. We’ve all got seasons that we go through that will divide those who are loud from those who are really loyal. Some of the people who hurt you the most, actually helped you get to the place you needed to be to step into what you were called to do. Your rejection in one season can lead to your destiny in the next.
What if what you went through wasn’t meant to destroy you, but to develop you? What if everything you are going through is preparing you for what you asked for? Embrace it all. Every flaw and imperfection. Every wound and broken place. Every season. Nothing is wasted. Everything belongs in the story of you.
Your struggling season will yield a season of harvest. Every storm eventually runs out of rain. Where you are at in life now is only a season, not a life sentence. Keep showing up. Keep being faithful. Don’t give up because you are not finished – not by a long shot!