Summer happens to be one of my favorite seasons. I love to hear the children playing, see people riding their bikes, and others just out enjoying the weather. As delightful as summer is, there are also some negative aspects, such as heat stroke, an increase in crime and violence and those dreaded mosquitoes!
i guess it is safe to say that every season has some ups and downs that accompany it. Solomon said in Ecclesiates 3:1-8 ESV "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Whatever the season is, you will experience both aspects of it. You cannot truly know peace until you've been in war!
Recently, the Lord has placed me in a season of promotion. I don't want to list all that has happened at the risk of bragging or sounding arrogant, but I can sum it up by saying that God has been good to me! He has done much more that I deserve, can take credit for, or even expected, and for that I am truly grateful! However, I failed to remember that there are 2 sides to every season. With advancement comes adversity. What is so troubling about this is that sometimes the adversity comes from those you expected to be happy with your advancement. This is the place that I find myself in today. I know some of you reading may be experiencing similar struggles such as I am, so that's the reason I am writing , to encourage you as well as myself. We can become so frustrated in these times that we feed our haters and give them more fuel with which to fight us with.
When Sinbad and his sailors landed on one of their tropical islands, they saw high up in the trees coconuts which could quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger. The coconuts were far above the reach of Sinbad and the sailors, but in the branches of the trees were apes. Sinbad and his men began to throw stones and sticks up at the apes. This enraged the monkeys and they began to seize the coconuts and hurl them down at the men on the ground. That was just what Sinbad and his men wanted. They got the apes so frustrated that the apes would gather their food for them. So many times, we feed our foes when we fall into frustration!
Many times when we face these things, we tend to look introspectively and try to find a reason for the present predicament. However, I have come to discover through the Word of God, that many times, you will suffer adversity just because God has advanced you. Joseph didn't get thrown in the pit until his father gave him a coat and he had a dream that he would be advanced. David didn't have problems with Saul until he was anointed the next king of Israel. Nehemiah didn't have problems with Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, until he was given authority to go and rebuild the wall. Daniel didn't have problems until he was promoted as one of the administrators over the kingdom, and the list goes on and on.
So the question becomes, what do you do?The answer is simple, but often times does not seem sensible. You continue to do what God has advanced you to do! Success or even perceived success has enemies. You can't stop being successful because you have people that don't like it. Don't throw away God's appointment for man's approval! If God has placed you somewhere or in some position and you are facing opposition, continue to do what God placed you there to do. Joseph went on through adversity to become prime minister of Egypt. David went on to become Israel's great king and the apple f God's eye Nehemiah finished the wall. Daniel went on and laid down on a lion!!
You must always remember that some people are haters and there is absolutely nothing you can do to change that. Actually you must let people be who they are. Haters must hate, just like preachers must preach, and singers must sing. It's who they are. Like a popular Gatorade commercial, I must ask, "Is it in you?"
God has advanced you for a reason. He didn't place you where you are for the haters to take you out or make you give up what He has blessed you with. He placed you there because He knew you could handle the haters and ultimately He wants to advance you THROUGH your adversity!
i guess it is safe to say that every season has some ups and downs that accompany it. Solomon said in Ecclesiates 3:1-8 ESV "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Whatever the season is, you will experience both aspects of it. You cannot truly know peace until you've been in war!
Recently, the Lord has placed me in a season of promotion. I don't want to list all that has happened at the risk of bragging or sounding arrogant, but I can sum it up by saying that God has been good to me! He has done much more that I deserve, can take credit for, or even expected, and for that I am truly grateful! However, I failed to remember that there are 2 sides to every season. With advancement comes adversity. What is so troubling about this is that sometimes the adversity comes from those you expected to be happy with your advancement. This is the place that I find myself in today. I know some of you reading may be experiencing similar struggles such as I am, so that's the reason I am writing , to encourage you as well as myself. We can become so frustrated in these times that we feed our haters and give them more fuel with which to fight us with.
When Sinbad and his sailors landed on one of their tropical islands, they saw high up in the trees coconuts which could quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger. The coconuts were far above the reach of Sinbad and the sailors, but in the branches of the trees were apes. Sinbad and his men began to throw stones and sticks up at the apes. This enraged the monkeys and they began to seize the coconuts and hurl them down at the men on the ground. That was just what Sinbad and his men wanted. They got the apes so frustrated that the apes would gather their food for them. So many times, we feed our foes when we fall into frustration!
Many times when we face these things, we tend to look introspectively and try to find a reason for the present predicament. However, I have come to discover through the Word of God, that many times, you will suffer adversity just because God has advanced you. Joseph didn't get thrown in the pit until his father gave him a coat and he had a dream that he would be advanced. David didn't have problems with Saul until he was anointed the next king of Israel. Nehemiah didn't have problems with Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, until he was given authority to go and rebuild the wall. Daniel didn't have problems until he was promoted as one of the administrators over the kingdom, and the list goes on and on.
So the question becomes, what do you do?The answer is simple, but often times does not seem sensible. You continue to do what God has advanced you to do! Success or even perceived success has enemies. You can't stop being successful because you have people that don't like it. Don't throw away God's appointment for man's approval! If God has placed you somewhere or in some position and you are facing opposition, continue to do what God placed you there to do. Joseph went on through adversity to become prime minister of Egypt. David went on to become Israel's great king and the apple f God's eye Nehemiah finished the wall. Daniel went on and laid down on a lion!!
You must always remember that some people are haters and there is absolutely nothing you can do to change that. Actually you must let people be who they are. Haters must hate, just like preachers must preach, and singers must sing. It's who they are. Like a popular Gatorade commercial, I must ask, "Is it in you?"
God has advanced you for a reason. He didn't place you where you are for the haters to take you out or make you give up what He has blessed you with. He placed you there because He knew you could handle the haters and ultimately He wants to advance you THROUGH your adversity!
So in this season, I encourage you to stand strong, and always remember, seasons come and seasons go! God Bless!!!!
