Becoming Us, the book that spoke to my heart about the “vulnerability hangover” reminded me about the importance of the different seasons in my life … and how all seasons have a purpose to help me fulfill God’s plan for my life.
Do you have any seasons in your life that you wish you could forget? Maybe you made choices you regret? Maybe you’re still feeling the effects of those choices years later.
I have “seasons” in my life I wish I could forget. Times when I wasn’t living the way God designed. Times God was still important in my life, but not sitting on the throne where He belonged. I regret those times, and I wish I could go back and make better decisions.
However, as my pastor loves to say, “We’re all only one good choice away from turning things around.” While God allows us to suffer the natural consequences of living life outside of His umbrella of protection, when we make the choice to come back fully under His protection, we’re back on the right path and God can (and will) bless us again.
Instead of allowing the enemy to constantly remind me of my guilt for “less-than-stellar” seasons, I can remind myself that God restores and can take those lost years and use them for His glory.
I think we would do well to focus on the Apostle Paul’s (formerly Saul) example. He spent early seasons in his life killing Christians; yet instead of focusing on his sin and shame, he chose to focus on God’s grace and saving power.
He spent the rest of his seasons winning hearts for God from the viewpoint of a forgiven man. Not because of anything he did, but always pointing people back to what Jesus did for him.
Do you have seasons in your life you’re not proud of? Think about what you learned from those seasons, how they helped shape who you are today and be grateful for the seasons you have left to fulfill the purpose God has for your life.
In the words of my pastor, “we’re all only one good choice away from turning things around.” Let the seasons to come be some of your best yet!
© Cheri Swalwell 2019