#TheresASeason

[ogloriousday]

..Don’t Rush to Bloom..

..This morning, like every other morning, I opened the blinds to let in a little natural light. And, today that is NOT Much.  We're under a Severe Thunderstorm watch (and a Lake Wind Advisory = wind between 20 - 35 mph) and, now, a Tornado warning. Basically, the view is less than ideal. Looking out of the window, I realized that if my mood reflected the weather I would be less than chipper, feeling a little down, and completely Unmotivated  to work or do much of anything. And, with Staying at Home still being observed there's really nothing to do anyway. Then, out of the corner of my eye I noticed something was different and surprisingly beautiful. The little magnolia tree in the back had new blooms today, of ALL days. 

Now, yesterday, a day that started with partly cloudy skies that transitioned to the right amount of sun shining for almost 13 hours and a decent 10 mph wind the blooms weren't really "there". There was something, but not much to look at other than the leaves. (And, the two flowers that had bloomed earlier, but had browned quickly). Still, with all the sun, warm air, and what seemed like near perfect weather the rest didn't bloom. So, what's the point?

Well, with every seemingly appropriate thing going on outside yesterday,  the transition from winter to Spring, time change, and the full return to life of the natural world, it wasn't the Right time for the flowers to bloom. With everything going on today, the sky seems to match what a LOT of people may be feeling (i.e. bleakness, worry about the pandemic, bills, school, delayed events and graduations, and a general pause of being able to Live Life). Today, like many days for some, there is not much hope or joy to be felt in the midst of a still season and the threat of a Storm. And, Isn't that how things may have seemed for a while now for many of us? We feel like we're almost there, like we SHOULD be at the next stage in life, like we got "Stuck", like we're running out of time, and so we're rushing to play "catch up" then BOOM something ELSE happens and we slowly and sadly accept that it still isn't the right time. 

So, what should we do? Well, first, Let's take a step back. What seems like the perfect day, time, or season based on what's happening for someone else or what's going on around us, may not be the BEST time or season for US as individuals. Putting a pause or another delay on your plans is hard. Sitting at home is hard. Feeling stuck because of storms and situations that are out of our control, or even result from past mistakes that we've repented for, is HARD. BUT God. 

God knows what we're going through. God knows what he's doing. God knows what he's preparing us for. God knows when it will be the RIGHT time for us to BLOOM. Just like the Blooms this morning bloomed today, just before a storm, God knows how and when to set us up to enter into a New Season. God knows how to Equip us, Heal us, and Guide us to our next Spiritual, Emotional, Mental, and sometimes Physical place. So...

Let. Him. Lead. Pray and Listen to his voice. Let's not rush to bloom too fast. As hard as it is, let's slow down and Lean on the Lord. When the time is right, we'll Bloom, we'll Excel, we'll see Promises Fulfilled. Even if there's a storm around. The pandemic has caused a lot of us to literally Drop Everything - especially travel plans and social gatherings. However, it's Set us up for having More time. More time for family calls and dinners. More time to Rest. More time to Study and Read. More time to Reflect on Who we are, Where we're going, and what Changes we should make. More time to Heal. More time to Weep if we are in the habit of Socializing and working our pain "away", which basically means we Ignore it until we're forced to deal with it head on. More time to Talk and definitely more time to Listen. 

So, take your time! Don't Rush to bloom too soon. Honestly, you may not be ready to withstand new tests, storms, challenges, or FULLY Appreciate and Steward the Blessing God has for you just yet. So, Trust God's timing. Get your Healing. Get Centered. Get in your Time with God. Why? Because he's STILL working and moving and Preparing you to Bloom at the Right time. How do I know? His word says so: "For everything there is a Season, and a Time for EVERY activity under heaven." (Ecc 3:1)..