by Dawn Smiling
The season of change is here. Yes, a new year brings so many thoughts to mind. You review all of the challenges you faced. You review the hurt, heartache and pain you endured. Perhaps your season started as a gentle rain which turned into a thunderstorm. Maybe you woke up one day to a blizzard that changed your life without notice. Perhaps the tornado of life blew the roof off of everything you built over the years.
Wherever you may find yourself, know that the season of change is here for you. New hopes, new dreams, and new hearts await you. Growing up in New York, I always had to prepare for the next season. New York has four seasons; winter, spring, summer, and fall. My favorite season is spring. Spring is not too hot and not too cold. I wish that spring could last forever, but it never did. The leaves changed on the trees and winter crept in. I never seemed to be prepared. I had to rush out for a new coat and new boots. I could only find one of my favorite gloves. But the goal was to get ready before the temperature dropped. My feet and my hands needed to feel warmth on the cold chilly days.
How do you get ready for the season of change? What will make this new year different from last year? Start by welcoming good, healthy associations in your life. Associate with people who are not fixated on where you are, but where you want to go. You need people around you who will ring the bell loudly. People who will push for you as you push for yourself. Second, decide to be around people who see your potential as unlimited. Find people who will help you get to your next destiny in this season. Pray for God to open the door to contacts that will meet your personal, financial, and emotional needs in a healthy way. Third, this is the season to associate with people who will encourage you. Don’t stay in the shadows. Now is the time to come out and get as much encouragement as possible. That new endeavor is calling your name. Find a class to bring that business into flourishing. Join a cell group at church or become a member at the community center. Take classes at the local library. Position yourself for your blessing. As you move forward, expect God to have people there waiting to encourage you.
Proverbs 17:17 tells us a true friend will not despise your weakness, but will believe for your strength. A true friend will not look down on you because of your past, but will help believe for your future. This season of change will bring new friends who believe in your future.
Finally, allow God’s love to pierce your pain and usher you into total healing. Refuse to allow negativity to rob you of your good season because of bad moments in your past. The season of bitterness, the season of brokenness, and the season of loneliness are banished by our heavenly father. Your season has changed. You are not defined by what you have been through and your future is not defined by what your current situation looks like. This is only a process in time to bring you into your spoken destiny.
Dawn Smiling enjoys volunteering at Grace Family Church as a prayer counselor, part of the soul care ministry, and as a table leader for Beautiful Monday Nights.