Part 3

You know the feeling: scoring the first spot in a crowded parking lot, drawing the best steer in the pen, oh and the best draw partner in the roping. When the sun shines, it shines on every part of our lives. And summer is a good season of life to be in. Not only does it feel good to be living in it, but usually there’s a connection from the previous seasons of a cold winter of growth and a rainy, stormy season in spring, that yields a summer season.

The past few posts, we have dove into split skies of spring:  the storm side and the sunny side. We all love the sunny side. It’s win after win, and although there’s still work involved, it just feels way less daunting and more rewarding. Siri Lindley, two-time world champion four-time hall of fame athlete and  Olympic coach, talked about her training leading up to big races. In the interview I listened to with Tony Robbins, she talked about how the race was a celebration of all she had worked for leading up to that point.

I think that’s a really good way to look at a summer season. All of the hard work that has been pressing, deepening, and growing, finally yields a bloom to enjoy, and multiple blooms of reward. The imagery that rolls through my head is in the movie, Oklahoma in the opening act when Curly is riding his blue roan on a sunny morning:

“Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day. I’ve got a beautiful feeling, everything’s going my way.”

A summer season is also in our attitude. When we know we have put in the hard work, labored and not given up, we can be confident that no matter what it looks like, God will work for our good. Sometimes it takes eyes of faith to see it, but also the confidence that God has my greatest interests in His heart and He wants to give them to me. It’s our job to be in a place to receive them.

You all may be wondering: why would I write about a summer season? Summer seasons are easy. Or some of you may be ready for a light read, something less heavy and cloudy. Either way, this season has great impact on the trajectory of God’s plan in your life. And there’s been times I’ve walked through summer seasons with great heart, and other times I’ve walked through them in postures of pride.

The thing is, when things are going our way, we can lift our focus away from God. I know because I’ve done it. He’s led me to a certain point, and I’ve thought, “Ok thanks, God. I’ll take it from here.” {eek} Spoiler alert:  I failed miserably when I walked through without Him. Or something will happen in my life that seems like a great reward, but in reality it’s a temptation to step away from the real plan He has and into something worldly.

It’s easy in a summer season to take matters into our own hands. But it’s a crucial season to stay obedient and humble. This week, I was reading in 2 Chronicles about Hezekiah. Can’t say I’ve ever read much about this king. He was diligent in turning the people back to the Lord. He restored the house of the Lord. He relied on God, repented of the past ways of the people, and really sought after the heart of God. He brought High praise and offerrings to the Lord and the Lord blessed him, greatly. He said the people brough their first fruits of harvest in HEAPS.

Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in keeping with the law and the commandment, seeking and inquiring of his God [and longing for Him], he did with all his heart and prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21

Here’s the amazing part to me. After all this, the king of Assyria starts to threaten Hezekiah. He speaks doubt and fear over the people, questioning if their God would really rescue them from his army. And his army shouted loudly at them in their own language so the people could hear the threats. Hezekiah responded with war in prayer. He cried to heaven for help.

The Lord sent an angel who destroyed every brave warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria…He gave them rest on every side. 2 Chronicles 32:22,23

He didn’t even have to physically fight. God fought the battle. Someone tried to steal away this summer season, but when God opens a door, no man can shut it. Shortly after, Hezekiah became ill and he asked God to heal him. God answered his prayer, but when pride entered Hezekiah’s heart, God humbled him. No one is immune to this temptation, especially in a summer season. It is critical to remain in step and obedient, even when it seems like we can do no wrong, and everything is going our way.

Some of you may be in a summer season, but perhaps it feels like you started to step into your own places. It can feel like unfulfillment even when good things are happening around you. There’s no joy in it. It’s empty. I’ve been there. In this place of summer, you’ve gotta go back to the place where you know it was God and you know it was His goodness and not the world.

I remember when I was transitioning between jobs, truly in a summer season. I spent two weeks in Italy, God gave me a job that didn’t even exist before that was exactly what I wanted. Everything was going my way. The season started to shift. I knew I needed to move back to Nebraska, and friends who I thought were friends quickly started to reveal their true colors. Betrayal, gossip, lies, and overwhelming fear started to come over me as this summer season shifted quickly to fall and then winter, both literally and spiritually. I remember calling my dad, crying. I was in the airport, couldn’t get out of North Dakota in January, dealing with more betrayal and pushback on every side. Dad comforted me, and said, “I’ll say a prayer for ya.”

I got off the phone and began to think back to this trajectory. Had I taken a wrong step? Did I go where He didn’t want me to go? I realized then that there were some friendship transitions He was eluding to, but I had ignored. But, I had also confirmation I was walking exactly where He wanted me to go. He didn’t say this was going to be easy, though I had said yes in the summer season, but I knew He was with me. And I had to keep going.

The winter and spring storms are only seasons. You have to live through them to get to summer. And when you do, enjoy the blooms. Enjoy the goodness of all that God has done. But don’t leave Him. If you find that you have, He’s still there. Just go back to where you know it was Him. He wants you to enjoy the summer season, as do I. But maybe Curly’s lyrics could get changed to, “Everything’s going HIS way.” Because HIS way is always good.

Stay hungry and humble, and enjoy the blooms of summer. If you’re still growing roots in winter, or under the spring storm clouds, take heart. Summer is coming. And you will enjoy the blooms.

See you at the next one.