It Won’t Be Like This Forever

Today’s been one of those reflective sort of days. I was cleaning out an old drawer and found a plethora of old cards, drawings, and remnants from the past, including an SD card from my very first camera.

Scrolling through the blurry pictures, I had to laugh. I couldn’t even imagine what Little Hannah would think of the photos I take now. Not an incomprehensible blur of color? Woah!

Whether life is going well, going horribly, or feeling pretty mundane, it’s easy to get bogged down by life’s current demands. It may feel like you’ll never have the answer, relationship, opportunity or growth you desire.

But I promise, for better or for worse, this isn’t how life will be forever.

So how can we make the most of the season we’re in? Here are a few tips based on the kind of season you are in:

Joyful/Exciting

I’m so glad that this season is going well for you. Perhaps you are experiencing new life, fresh perspective, or the opportunity you’ve always imagined. Take a moment to slow down and celebrate this time. Journal about it, capture the memories, and save them for a time when life may not feel as grand. This will give you hope for the future.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Philippians 4:4-5

Difficult

I’m so sorry that you are experiencing a form of pain or discomfort. You may be struggling to get up each morning, wondering the purpose of this trial. While you may not have the energy or motivation you used to, this time will not last forever. God loves you so much, and as you trust Him with all aspects of your life, you will begin to feel your strength again.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Boring/Waiting

Stuck in a rut? Did you know that some of the most creative and innovative projects have come out of a person’s boredom? If you have extra time on your hands, don’t waste it! Spend time with others, invest in those who may not be having the easiest time right now, and prepare yourself for the busier road ahead. God will use the waiting as long as you are willing to follow His lead.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

Restful

Ah, the restful season. Take a deep breath, pour yourself into your passions, and thank God for this gift. Don’t fret over the next activity to partake in–rather, enjoy this season of slowness and refresh yourself with this opportunity. Take time to grow in your faith and make intentional effort to establish healthy habits now so that they will be there for you when harder times come.

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Genesis 2:3

Unsure

Perhaps you are unsure what kind of season you are experiencing. You may be in between stages of life and that can be overwhelming. But don’t worry–God has an incredible plan for you.

Cherish the moments of joy, glimpses of hope, and the presence of faithfulness in this time as you rely on God and His promises for you.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

1 John 4:16