In the Summertime
When my oldest son was in high school (forgot what year), he said, “The thing I like about the summer is that nothing carries over.” He was talking about school, of course, but I’ve often wished life was like that. Life’s events intertwine and seldom stand alone. They flow together like a river, making us who we are. Life is a continuum. This is both a grief and a great joy.
The part that hurts is that we don’t ever seem to really get past many of the great, heartbreaking moments in life. They carry over. They become a part of us. A permanent scar. Many despair over events long past that they can never change. “Will it never end?” This is a tool Satan uses to thwart much good. Potential is not productivity. Our adversary knows this and would like to stop us short of any real progress.
Sometimes, though, the fact that the events of our lives flow together means that misdeeds are washed away as surely as a river cleanses itself. It’s not as if they never happened, but they become part of a mosaic in which God uses unfortunate deeds to bring about a fortuitous end. They are lessons learned and can be important in shaping our lives and the lives of others.
This combination of joy and grief produces stability. Everyone gets there eventually- some sooner, some later. Experience is the currency that buys this peace unavailable by other means. And it generally comes at great cost. We come to understand that we cannot escape the deeds of our lives, and that is a good lesson to learn. On the other hand, we understand that we cannot escape the grace and care of God who works all things together for His glory and ultimate good.
Life carries over. For good or ill, it’s the truth. Life can be frustrating and difficult, but it is the proving ground God uses to make us what we need to be. It is also the tool He uses to manifest Himself to the world. As you commit your way to God, may your life flow and cleanse itself until it reaches the shores of eternity.
Sterl
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