The Uncertainties Of Life Are What Make It Worth Living

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There is a season for everything, a time and place for every matter under heaven. These seasons, that we endure, celebrate, wrestle with, enjoy – they are the ebb and flow of our lives. As our circumstances change, we grow. As we grow, our circumstances remain the same. Whatever the season, whoever the person, change is never comfortable. We are human beings who cling to familiarity. We stay in our own flocks, but after feeling suffocated by the unchanging; change hits us without warning. Or is some change warranted? We pick and choose, but really the seasons may choose us. Really, however, the Creator of the universe walks us through these seasons, comforting and strengthening us by His great love. After all, He created the seasons.

But entering a new phase of life can be a terrifying thing. For some it is exciting, blazing with a thirst for freedom, while for others it is a freeze-frame on all control. Maybe it is both.

The time leading up to this entry is paralyzing. It is the standstill as you wait for the crosswalk light to change and almost get hit by a car. It is the winding up of a pitcher as He prepares to throw into the wind. It is the last seconds of a sunrise as it makes it way behind the mountains. It is the silence in the room as you walk into your home before knowing anyone is there. It is the rumbling of a plane moments before hitting the runway. It is the last time you do something, knowing tomorrow will never be the same.

This tension, however, breeds hope.

Because the time right before a new season is exhilarating. It is driving down the back roads the day you turned 16. It is waking up in an unfamiliar place for the second day in a row. It is getting to the top of a roller coaster and feeling your gut rise to your chest. It is the shock of a cold shower. It is the moment before taking the stage. It is the adrenaline pulsing under your skin and the blood rushing to your cheeks. It is the pause before the whistle. It is the first release of rope as you repel down the cliff. It is in the first step off the platform as you jump for the air. It is the copious time before the relatives arrive at Christmas dinner. It is almost-finished cookies baking in the oven. It is waiting at the airport to pick up your loved ones whom you haven’t seen in months.

And after these paralyzing, terrifying, yet sensational moments – these waiting minutes – something beautiful happens.

Faith accepts failure.
Failure cultivates endurance.
Accomplishment yields growth.
Sorrow produces meaning.
Joy quenches heartache.
Fear ignites boldness.
Trust eliminates fear.
Patience renews perseverance.
Love mends brokenness.
Peace calms anxiousness.
Kindness surprises contempt.
Goodness conquers hate.

And a new season begins in full bloom. We are plunged through the surface of water that breaks slightly more with every crushed droplet of our bodies crashing through. Our hands are thrown into the wind as we scream our whole way down the Twister II. An embrace of our dearest family and friends begets tears of sweet joy. Invitations open new doors and lasting relationships. A heartbeat steadies slowly, but surely, and the pieces of a puzzle are formed piece by piece.

Everything is uncertain at first glance but the uncertainties of this life are what bring us to our knees and raise us to the tip of our toes. They are what keep us moving in this circular world of old things being made new. Thus, a new season is nothing to worry about, but rather a rehearsal of every entrance we have practiced our whole lives. So take heart, because this next season is nothing and everything like you’ve seen before.