I’ve had a short break from writing. Sometimes things happen in life that require you to be fully present, and this has been such a season for me. I realized that unless I chose to remain present, I would actually miss out on something that I would never get back.
So, I put the world on hold for a while. I set my cell phone to silent mode. Do you know how quiet it gets when you do that? I hardly read mail for weeks on end. Which means that I now have to sift through several thousand unanswered messages… Still worth it, though. I spoke only when I wanted to. I shied away from people, arriving late at services and leaving early, shielding myself from the loving embraces and the comforting words that I was not yet ready for.
It was all good. I was wrapped in love by my close family. In the quietest of moments, they just moved in, staying close. I’m sure we would have looked funny to strangers. There we were, sitting quietly on this huge couch, crammed together as closely as we possibly could. It was as if they physically contained my sense of purpose.
It’s OK not to be OK sometimes. It says so it the Bible. Well, almost, anyway.
Everything has its time.
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to speak,
And a time to sit quietly on the couch;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to read,
And a time to binge-watch your favorite tv show;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to cry,
And a time to giggle just because you need to;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to close the door,
And a time to open it for friends who bring delicious meals simply because they love you
A time of war,
And a time of peace
A time of numbness,
And a time of fulfillment
There is no time wasted. As long as I’ve given it all to him, he doesn’t waste a thing.
He is the All to my nothing.
The Creation to my void.
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.
This is my season of rest. Of letting him come close.
This is where promises are fulfilled, as He reveals himself to me once again. I have come to know him as the comforter. My faithful companion through the shadow of death. He’s still the shepherd who anoints my head with oil, shielding me with his presence.
His goodness and love pursue me.
I’m wrapped in tender mercy.
Eventually, you too will enter into a season of loss and mourning.
It. Sucks. Big. Time. You can run from it. Hide from it. Detest it. Scream, yell, or give him the silent treatment.
But something shifts once you embrace the season as God’s appointed time for you. You don’t have to fight anymore. This a time for laying down arms and watch Heaven fight your battles. It’s the time for sobbing worship and wholehearted surrender. A time for deep revelations and quiet encounters. This is a time to be embraced.
I wouldn’t want to miss out on this. It still hurts, but that’s alright.
I know the Healer.