'Tis the Season to be JOLLY.

I don’t know about y’all, but lately I’ve been so tired. Straight up, exhausted! However, the Lord spoke to me earlier and told me that I needed to blog on SEASONS and the one I have recently entered.

I’ve entered into this quiet season of my life where it seems like God has me on the DND mode. Not get me wrong, I KNOW that God isn’t ignoring me, it just feels like not really talking to me much. This season begin probably about a month ago. Once school ended and I conquered a pretty tough class thing were going great. Then it seemed like God just kinda got quiet. During this time I had a few pretty good quiet times but then it seemed like I just wasn’t getting the same feeling once it was over.  I thought over and over what I could be doing wrong. Was it the version of the bible I was reading? Was it the way and time I chose to have quiet time? WHAT WAS IT?! All while this is going on, I had a tough decision to make and attacks from enemy were finding me left and right. I really needed to hear from God but it seemed like he was hiding from me.

I was reminded last night that I asked for this season.  Now, I didn’t say “Lord, make things hard for me and then ignore me when I pray.”  I asked God to teach me to trust him.  A few months ago, he showed me that I didn’t fully trust him and of course, I needed to work on that.  On May 24^th, I wrote in my journal,“ Lord, teach me to trust you just as Abraham did with his only son. I want to be so deeply in love and focused on you that I’d do anything for you. Strip me of anything that is distracting. Increase and I will decrease."  I just want more of God.

That was it. God is giving me exactly what I asked for. I asked him to help me learn to to trust him and that is what he is doing. I was lead to read Genesis 22 and the story of Abraham and Isaac. God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son.  Abraham was obedient and took his son to the place where God told him about and just as he was about to slay his son, and angel appeared and said “Abraham! Abraham! Do not lay a hand on the boy, do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear the God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” (Genesis 22:11-12) He trusted God. He trusted God with everything in him.

After reading the story, I realized that I need to take the limits off God. I needed to remove the boundaries and trust him every area of my life. As I progress through this season, I can’t help but be thankful. Thankful that even though things are far from perfect and I may feel a little lost, God is teaching me to trust him, even though I can’t trace him. I could have easily gone back to my old lifestyle when this test came over me. I could have easily called my best friend and complained, or got on twitter and gone on a rant. But instead, I’m taking this as a learning experience. I am choosing to pass this test and draw closer to him. And don’t get me wrong, this is NOT easy. Going through trials are not supposed to be fun. But I have a decision, I can either pout or praise.  I can let the enemy trick me and fall into his lies or can praise God despite how crazy things may seem. And as
much I feel weary and tired, sis, I am reminded in Galatians 6 that I will reap a harvest if I don’t give up.  

So sis, if you’re in the same season as I am, keep pressing through this quiet season with me. Perhaps God is teaching you to trust him. As crazy as it may sound, God is still here. Even now as I’m writing, I feel his presence. Don’t think for moment that he has left you. Don’t think that he is ignoring you. I see quotes all the time that says “teachers are always quiet during tests.” And it's true. Eventually, we’re gonna have to pass these test on our own and stop relying on others to help get us through.  It’s easy to say you trust God when everything is great! Rent paid, boyfriend is great, family is good, grades good, etc.  But can say it and MEAN it when all hell is breaking lose in your life? Can you say it when your family is falling apart, friendships are diminishing, your money is funny, etc.?

Ask God to teach you to trust him. Learn to leave it all in his hands. Stop worrying. This season is necessary. We MUST go through in order to get the next season. Don't rush it, don't try to avoid it, just trust God through it. Trust the process.