Embrase Your Season

 Ecclesiastes 3:3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. We are going through Ecclesiastes 3 at church. Chelsea did am amazing job preaching. I will not do her justice in telling her sermon but I can share my heart through it. The struggle to be content has always been an issue for me. Living in the moment. Oh what a challenge. Chelsea gave awesome insight in talking about three seasons; a season of tearing down or death, a season of transition and a season of healing.
       Death and brokenness is a part of life. Those moments in life can be so painful. So many times we pretend all is well, when its the complete opposite. Chelsea stated, "When did it become okay to deny our feelings." Anger and sadness have been labeled as negative emotions. When I was in college I did my senior research on how parents teach their children to handle their emotions. Most of my finding proved that kids were taught that these emotions (anger and sadness) are bad and not to be expressed. When these kids become adults they don't know how to handle emotions thus the stresses of life become more difficult.  John 11 is the story where Jesus' friend Lazarus dies and Jesus raises him from the dead. John 11:5-6 states,  "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. [They were His dear friends, and He held them in loving esteem.]Therefore [even] when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He still stayed two days longer in the same place where He was."  Jesus knew that Lazarus would die and he had a miracle in store and yet in John 11:33-35 it says "When Jesus saw her sobbing, and the Jews who came with her [also] sobbing, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. [He chafed in spirit and sighed and was disturbed.] And He said, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept."  This passage can serve as a reminder that, IT'S OK TO CRY ABOUT IT!! 
As the story unfolds, the reader is reminded to continue to worship out of brokenness. John 11:32 says,  "When Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she dropped down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Martha did not run from Christ, but laid at His feet and poured out her heart. Our genuineness moves the heart of God. 
       What about the time of transition. I looked up the word stagnant and I thought this was interesting: having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence. Sometimes we hold onto that one thing God wants us to get rid of and it keeps us from growing. God cannot move in our lives if we are not willing to obey. Jesus was about to raise Lazarus from the dead but first Martha had to obey. "Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, exclaimed, But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days! (John 11:38-39)" We must let go of the excuses so God can raise us up from where we are. God longs for us to grow closer to Him and not stay stagnant. Finally, after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead it says in verses 43 and 44, "And out walked the man who had been dead, his hands and feet wrapped in burial cloths (linen strips), and with a [burial] napkin bound around his face. Jesus said to them, Free him of the burial wrappings and let him go." How many times have we said, "I don't deserve God's healing and restoration." I know this is a huge issue for me.  We need to let go of the linens of death and let God bring us into the season of healing.

All Biblical text presented from the Amplified Bible Version :)