Balance in the Seasons

Whether for correction or for his land or for love, He causes it to happen. Job 37:13

How many of you stress about the weather? I was looking at this little guy in my garden. He is just a little gnome. I have had him for many years. This little guy is still standing. He has been weathered, fallen down, moved around, leathered, and discolored by the heat. He is broken. But he is still standing.

Balancing our life is a ride through all seasons still standing. We are weathered in every season, through sunshine and rain, snow, ice, wind, hail, and sometimes dry, unbearable heat. We are just like the gnome. Life has weathered our bodies, leathered our skin, we have fallen down, moved around, dodged crazy storms, and been in the refiner’s fire. We are still standing.

God controls the weather. I said it, and some just do not believe it. If you truly believe in the sovereignty of God, then he is navigating ahead of us. We will never fully understand it this side of heaven yet, if we will just stand in that truth, stand on the cross, and begin balancing all the seasons of our life on that firm foundation, we will stress less, worry less, breathe softer, rest easier, trust more and relax. Doesn’t this gnome look relaxed?

In the scripture Job 37:13 it says, “whether for correction or for His land, He causes it to happen.” We can believe that if it doesn’t affect us directly or one of our friends or family, or causes. Oh, how we struggle when hit’s home right? Think about it.

I live in a mobile home. I love my home. I have decorated it to the nines for a mobile home. I have put hard earned money and design into making it beautiful. if a tornado wiped me out, I would be devastated. Then someone comes in and says, “well God wanted it to happen” and I would say, “NO way God loves me”, Right? No, I would likely cry, ask God why, stress and worry like the rest of you. for a time. But…I have insurance, and I have Godsurance.

Truth isn’t always easy. However, it most certainly could happen, and it would be for my good and God’s glory regardless of me losing all I own. Because in reality all the money is His, all I own is His, and I am His. Just like Job, I would still be standing, and I could still rebuild. In fact, I have rebuilt my life on many different occasions and each one I can trace back to God using it for His will, His glory and my good. I am still standing.

So, as I consider the seasons, and God’s hand in those seasons, learning to balance them around my eternal purpose, it is urgent that we trust God in all seasons. Because when that tornado is set to hit your house, be it high winds, or a narcissistic abuser, or an out-of-control alcoholic, or your depression, or anything that hits so hard it causes damage in its wake, you want to be able to remain standing.

Things to help you remain standing: (Standing is a form of balance)

1. Know who you are and whose you are! Trust God.
2. Make time for Jesus Daily. Scripture says we are made in His Image. Look in the mirror and say, “Hello Jesus, may I reflect you today in all I do.”
3. Work hard but do not lose yourself in your work!
4. Do not compare yourself to others. We feel unbalanced when we measure ourselves up next to someone else. They are not you; you are not them.
5. Let go of whatever is stealing your joy. Happiness is fleeting no matter what you do, do not seek it. Seek to find joy in all your circumstances.
6. Embrace change. Change is hard, but it is inevitable and necessary for growth.
7. Balance your emotions, finances, fun, health, work and relationships. Check yourself in every week as to where you are on this and what you can do to handle the emotional stresses, financial fears, lack of fun, becoming healthier, working well, building better relationships. Balance is hard, but it is attainable.
8. Acceptance is sometimes a hard truth. Sometimes there are things we cannot fix yet and if we accept it, we can be more balanced.
9. Love others. Just thinking outside of our own box, helps bring perspective. Today a woman called to thank me for sending her a birthday card from our office. She said she has breast cancer, had been going through radiation and felt so terrible, then received that card and it brought so much sunshine to her day. That brought sunshine to mine too.
10. Checks and Balances. Just like a check book has to be balanced, so does our life. Check in with yourself. What is going well? What is not? What can you add or take away to make life better?

Be like the gnome. Stand tall. You are a survivor of much. You are a child of God, daughter of the King, made in His image. Balance your life in all seasons, and remember, you are still standing.